Angel Biter
by Nena Camadera
Summary: After an accident involving Skuld and a dusty old knife, things take a turn for the worst in the Morisato household. Old wounds are reopened, new scars inflicted, and a discovery is made that may leave more then one person reeling.
1. Angel Bitten

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

The atmosphere was tense. The two combatants stood alone, facing off against each other, their stances stiff as each sized the other up. The house was silent save for the low drone of the small television that shared the room with the two warriors, heedless of the going-ons around it.

The older of the two females narrowed her violet eyes, her younger opponent doing likewise, a scowl on her youthful features. "The usual?" Urd asked, her hands curling into fists at her side, an arrogant smirk playing out on her lips as she gazed down at her younger sister.

Skuld, unconsciously mirroring her sister's actions, nodded, baring her teeth in an action that was a little _too_ hostile to be an honest-to-goodness-smile. "You know it. Best two out of three." She said, raising a gloved fist into the air with her older sibling following the action to a par.

"Ro-Sham-Bo!" The duo shouted, pumping their fists into the air three times before laying claims to their 'weapon' of choice. The result was the younger of the two's eyes lighting up, her palm held out flat in the universal sign for 'paper', Urd's hand still clenched in a tight fist.

"Looks like I'll be watching _Seijuu Sentai Gingaman _after all, Urd." Skuld boasted, her face growing triumphant even as Urd's expression darkened.

"We'll see about that, Brat." Urd muttered, her eyes narrowing at the jibe even as a smile spread across her features. "After all, it's only the first round. One victory isn't worth a damn in this game."

The smile left Skuld's face. "Don't call me a brat!" She shouted. "Fine, lets go again!" Her hand curled once more into a fist, her sister quickly following suit. "Ro-Sham-Bo!"

Once more, the action was repeated, though the results had changed. "Yes!" Urd crowed, giving her sister a toothy grin as she registered the dissapointment on the younger girl's face.

The dissapointment was only temporary though. "Heh, one win doesn't mean anything Urd, you should know that." Skuld said, throwing Urd's earlier words back in the woman's face.

The dark-skinned woman paused, glaring at her younger sister. "Of course it doesn't." She muttered darkly. "It's only the final round that _really_ matters."

Skuld returned the glare with an equally dangerous one. "Of course." She said. "Just you watch. After this, you won't be able to watch T.V. for the rest of the day."

Urd grinned recklessly. "Oh, believe me, I know. I'll thouroughly enjoy watching the _You're Under Arrest_ marathon when I beat you."

Together, their fists once more flew through the air.

"RO-SHAM-BO!"

It was another day in the Morisato Residence. Keiichi and Belldandy were not present, having left earlier that day for _The Whirwind_. As such, Urd and Skuld were left with no one but each other for company. And so it was that the two did as was expected of all siblings stuck inside with little to occupy themselves.

They fought over television rights.

A victorious cackle filled the room, traveling through the house and moving outside where, if one listened carefully, they might hear it on the gentle breeze. They might also hear the angry, defeated scream that followed it as Skuld stormed out of the room, not even bothering to slide the door shut behind her as she marched down the hallway with plots of vengence already seeping into her mind.

It was obvious who currently owned the television for the next couple of hours.

Urd watched her sister stomp off gleefully, snickering lightly to herself as she redirected her attention to the small colored television. "Music to my ears." She chuckled, her sister's rage now muffled by several walls. "Now, lets see here…" Extending a small bit of her magic, she lifted herself off the ground and floated in front of the T.V., flicking through the various channels with a flick of her wrist. "Ah, here we are…" She murmured, settling on one channel, reclining in the air, and propping her hands behind her head, for all the intent of loosing herself to the idiot box for the next several hours.

Skuld, meanwhile, had settled for fiddling around with one of her newer creations in a futile attempt at distracting herself from her latest defeat. Needless to say, it was not going well, and with a frustrated growl, the young goddess threw the screwdriver in her hand into a nearby wall, where it promptly buried itself several inches into the plaster.

The goddess of the future took no notice, one dark eyebrow twitching ever so slightly as she silently fumed. _Stupid Urd._ _I bet she cheated some how._ The child thought, letting out a frustrated moan before crossing her arms across her chest.

Normally, such actions on both parties parts, whether it brought victory or defeat, would not have left the young Skuld so enraged. But as it was, Skuld had been looking forward to one particular show all week, and the knowledge that she'd be unable to catch it as she'd originally planned angered her to no end.

"I'll make her pay for this." Skuld muttered angrily, bolting to her feet and sending the various equipment and tools balanced on her lap flying. A smile that would have made the Daimakaicho proud appeared on her face. "That's it! Operation Payback, Version 3.6, here I come!"

Her plan for vengence quickly formulating in her mind, the girl slid open the door to her room and queitly left it, closing it gently behind her. Not that she needed to be stealthy or anything like that. It would take something short of Hild appearing or the initiation of Ragnarok to distract Urd from her t.v. time. At least for right now.

Still, Skuld found herself tip-toeing down the hallway, past the closed room Urd was in and up to the door that led into Urd's room.

"You're going to wish you never messed with me, Urd." Skuld whispered, opening the sliding door as carefully and quietly as possible, sneaking in and quickly sliding the door shut behind her.

Various vials and containers lined the multiple shelves that protruded from the walls, the lables coaded in indecypherable hyroglphs. Skuld found herself shying away from the various ingredients. Urd had not been kind the last time she'd messed with her ingredients, one of which happened to be of the more rare and expensive variety. No amount of revenge was worth the punishment that had been dished out from _that_ incident.

Instead, Skuld redirected her attention to the dressers in the room, all of which were piled high with yet more ingredients. The girl ignored them, instead squatting down and pulling open one of the drawers. Various clothing and other fabrics lay folded neatly within, and the young goddess grinned victoriously. "Bingo." She giggled, her imagination running wild with pictures of Urd being forced to where anything from a favored outfit that had become several sizes too large, to a dress that looked like it had been dumped in a batch of prismacolor paint.

"I wonder what else I can find…" She murmured, a curious, mischeivious smile on her face as she rifled through her older sister's possesions. The first one she opened as well as the two after that, held nothing but her sister's various outfits and undergarments, some of which held so little fabric that Skuld could only blush at the thoughts of what they were used for. All useful for revenge, however would most likely be used as a last resort.

"Come on, only an amature would mess with clothing." Skuld muttered to herself. Clothes were a good start, but anyone and their three-legged dog could ruin an outfit. Skuld wanted to do something _creative_ to Urd. With an annoyed growl, the girl shut the dresser cabinets with a little more force then nessisary, gaining a rather satisfying 'thump' as wood hit wood.

"Hmph. Maybe I'll have better luck with the next one…" The girl murmured, moving to pull open the next drawer when she caught the glint of light hitting metal. "Huh? I don't remember seeing this before…" She picked the object up from where it rested half-way underneath the dresser. "I wonder if I accidently knocked it loose." Skuld whispered, examining the object carefully.

It appeared to be made of some sort of metal, but judging by the faint magical pulse it was giving off she doubted it was of any of the Earth's metal. It was shaped in a crude circle, as though it's creator had grown weary of crafting it and had rushed through it's creation, leaving the objects with various lumps and deformalities around it's outer ring. Various runes where engraved into the metal, radiating forth an unnatural heat the Skuld could feel when her fingers grazed their surface, glowing a bright blue for a brief second before fading back to obscurity at her touch.

The girl's dark eyes widened as the dawning realisation of what she was holding came to her, and a smile grew on her face. "I know what this is." She whispered excitedly. "This is a Keystone!" The young Norn held back a giggle that threatened to tear out of her throat and instead focused on the runes carved into the metal's flesh.

"Oh…I wonder what Urd has in here that is so important to require a Keystone." Skuld murmured, watching as the runes activated at her touch. "I bet she has a whole bunch of illegal potions and ingrediants and stuff." A smile worthy of the Chesire Cat on her face, the Norn of the Future set the now active Keystone down on the small table in the center of Urd's room, taking several steps back as a precaution to any traps Urd might have placed within the stone's holding space.

The light brought forth from the runes grew in intensity, slowly expanding to fill the entire room and temporarily blinding Skuld. The goddess shielded her eyes, her ears listening for any sign that the light had been noticed by her older sister. However, as the light faded and the spots slowly cleared from her brown eyes, she heard no signs that her sister had noticed and with a quiet, victorious giggle, Skuld made her way over to the small table, now covered in items of various shapes and sizes.

"Wow…I scored big time on this." Skuld whispered, observing the various items with a critical eye. As she had suspected, there where various bottles and vials, no doubt containing some forbidden potion or illegal ingredient, but there were also a great deal of other miscillanious items, some of which she'd never have suspected Urd to even _consider_ owning, let alone actually care enough to hold them in a _Keystone_.

Carefully, to avoid any unneccisary damage to any hidden fragile items, Skuld picked up the first thing that caught her eye-an item wrapped securely in a cool, multicolored fabric. It felt fairly light, and Skuld was slightly surprised to see it's shape change as she lifted it from the table, a sure sign that whatever the cloth held, there was more then one piece to it.

Skuld slowly unwrapped the cloth from the treasure inside, blinking in surprise at the fabric's contents. "Teeth?" She asked aloud, before quickly clamping a hand over her mouth and remembering where she was.

The girl quickly looked over at the door, but once again, nothing could be heard from Urd that would have warrented the girl getting caught. Skuld sighed in relief before returning her attention to the small cluster of ivory in her hand. Upon closer examination, she realised that the teeth-for the most part all canines from various preditors-also contained matching claws, some of which were as long as her middle finger.

"What would Urd be doing with a bunch of fangs and claws?" Skuld whispered, before rewrapping the fabric that kept them together and setting it down once more on Urd's table. "Weird. Maybe they're supposed to be ingredients or something." She muttered, her eyes roaming the table once more before picking up another cloth-wrapped item.

The young goddess gasped in surprise as she unwrapped it. "A unicorn's horn!" She whispered excitedly, the girl's brown eyes growing wide in shock. "But…I thought you could only get one of these when you're actually present to witness the death of a unicorn. And everyone knows how private those things are. It's hard enough meeting one alive, let alone when one is actually _dieing_."

She quickly re-wrapped the parcel and placed it back on the table, Skuld's eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. The animal teeth were one thing, but the horn of one of the greater sentinet beings in Heaven was quite another thing entirely. "I wonder what else Urd has been keeping from us." Skuld murmured, carefully picking up a box with gold etching around it's perimeter.

The Norn held back a gasp as she picked it up. While no genius when it came to magic-at least, not yet- even _she_ could feel the heavy magic radiating from the box. The box itself was deceptivly plain: it appeared as little more then a wooden container made of Oak. It's only decoration being the gold etching, and even that seemed somehow unremarkable. "I wonder what's inside." Skuld murmured, searching for the latch that kept the small wooden box's contents safely inside.

After a few seconds search, the latch was located and quickly pried open, the container flipping open on well-oiled hinges.

And it was only through sheer force of will that Skuld didn't drop the small box. As the lid was opened, the magic Skuld had felt when first picked up grew in intensity, taking the young goddess by surprise as a wave of power surged unhindered through her being.

Skuld stood stiffly, her heart racing in her ears as the magic raced through her, unwilling or perhaps incapable of moving. After what felt like an eternity, the magic slowly abated, and Skuld found she could breath once more, and with a strangled gasp, the Norn fell to her knees. As the magic released the girl from it's powerful grip, Skuld glanced down at the box, dimmly aware that her knuckles had gone white with the force of her grip on the container.

The inside of the box was covered with various seals, some of which Skuld recognized, and many which she didn't. It explained the overwhelming power surge when she'd opened the box. All that magic had been gathering inside the container, just waiting for someone to open the lid and release all that excess energy.

And with the sheer amount of energy that had been released, it was obvious that the box hadn't been opened in a _long_ time.

As for what the item in question actually was, Skuld was more then a little confused to see a rather ancient looking blade resting within the box's confines. A knife, or maybe a dagger, it rested upon a black wooden stand connected to the inside of the box.

Easing herself into a more comfortable position, Skuld rested the small box on one knee, taking a moment to simply inspect the blade and treasure the fact that Urd seemed to have various seals located inside her room. The older woman had yet to make any sign of detecting Skuld's presence in her room.

Propping her head up in one hand, brown eyes carefully examined the weapon, for there was little doubt in Skuld's mind that the blade in front of her was used any anything _but_ that. The handle of the blade was made of some sort of bone, bound tightly in leather that had seen better days. The blade held a unique design, the flat half of the metal covered in various runes of power. Various nicks and scratches covered the metal, yet the surface caught and reflected the light of the room as if it had never been used.

"Huh. Why would Urd have some old thing like this? I never thought she was one for weapons. It's not like she's a Valkyrie or anything." Skuld muttered, lifting her head off of her hand and, after a moment's hesitation, moving to grasp the weapon's hilt.

She easily lifted the blade from where it rested within the box, somewhat surprised by how heavy the object was. It was heavier then it appeared. She tilted the blade to and fro, watching as the light caught and danced across it's surface. "It's so _old_. I wonder what it was used for…" She trailed off as she caught her reflection in the blade.

_Urd was standing behind her_.

And then the singing began. The girl yelped in surprise, her hand still clasped tightly around the handle of the blade, whirling around and…

_And she wasn't in Urd's room any longer. She was standing on a battlefield. The child looked upwards, staring in horror as a woman garbed in the traditional Valkyrie uniform screamed, her angel impaled on a spear. The Norn watched as the unknown goddess clawed at her chest, the same area where the weapon had impaled her Other Half, before her eyes rolled up in the back of her skull and she fell from the sky._

_The owner of the spear yanked the weapon out of the angel's chest, blood flowing from the wound and onto the spear, sliding down the pole and covering the hand of the demon who held it._

_Skuld averted her eyes, her body trembling at having witnessed the death of one of her own kind. But it seemed that, no matter where her eyes shifted, the young goddess was greeted to more of the same sight. All around her, demons and Valkyries attacked one another, holding little back at they slaughtered one another._

_And still the singing continued. Where was it coming from? It was like a keeing, high-pitched and screaming in her ears. And then Noble Scarlet was at her side, the young angel's face agitated as she grabbed Skuld's arm, her intention's unclear and her thoughts jumbled in the young goddesses' mind. Only one thing was clear to her. They needed to leave before someone took notice of them._

_Brown eyes darted in various directions. But where could they flee to? Nothing but death surrounded them. Fear laced the girl's form, and suddenly both Norn and angel were bathed in shadow. Skuld froze in fear, ignoring the constant pull from her angel. She turned, looking up at the tall woman who seemed to tower of them. Her back was to the sun, bathing her face in shadow, but Skuld could still make out the violet eyes that stared down at the duo with malevolence, peering down at Skuld under thick, platinum bangs. She could make out the cruel, sadistic smile, teeth bright against the woman's dark skin._

_Her smile only seemed to grow as Skuld cowered away from her, laughing in delight at the apparent 'prey' she'd stumbled upon. "What's this?" She cackled. "A little Valkyrie without a weapon? Why, this simply won't do." Her voice had an eerie resemblence to that of Belldandy's, and Skuld shivered reflexivly._

_The woman took a step closer and Skuld took a step back, keeping the distance between them. "After all, it's know fun when you don't fight back."_

_The woman reached behind her back, pulling out a long, slender blade. Skuld's eyes widened, recognizing it as the old blade from Urd's room. The high-pitched cry-song erupted from it,louder then before, and the lass placed her hands on her ears in a futile effort to drown out the noise._

_The woman noticed Skuld's reaction, and her smile widened. "Can you hear it, Child? The Angel Biter is singing for you, Little Valkyrie. It wants to taste the blood of your little angel." Skuld watched as a notch appeared on the sharpened edge, the notches deep and lined with inverted teeth. They held a creepy resemblence to a gaping mouth._

_The woman laughed once more. "Come Little Valkyrie. Let me taste the blood of your angel."_

_The woman lunged._

_Skuld screamed._

_The blade embedded itself within Noble Scarlet's chest._

_Instinct took over as a fire assulted Skuld's chest, the child doubling over in pain as she called upon every ounce of magic that dwelled within her._

_A tidal wave of water manifested around her and Noble Scarlet, surrounding them, moving as a liquid barrier against the woman. What was she doing? She wasn't sure anymore, wasn't sure of anything since coming to this awful place. All she knew was that she wanted one thing. And that was-_

"_GET AWAY FROM ME!"_

_The Norn wrapped her arms around herself, and the tidal wave exploded outward, slamming into the woman with the force of a wrecking ball. Her energy fading fast, the last thing Skuld remembered was the woman's laughter haunting her as the battlefield melted away, replaced with her sister's room._

Urd's face-or was it that woman's?- was the last thing she saw before that too, faded into oblivion.

* * *

From where she hovered in front of the television, idily flipping through various channels, Urd suddenly gasped, the small part of her that had been concentrating on keeping her afloat dissapearing and sending the goddess on a rather painful reunion with the floor. The woman barely noticed, instead scrambling to her feet, her violet eyes wide with alarm. A couple of seconds ago, a wave of undirected magic had swept through her, and as Urd bolted out of the room, she found it only grew stronger and more identifiable as she grew closer to the source.

_Skuld_. She thought, her gut tieing into a knot as she identified the source of the magic's power. The knot only grew as she realised it was coming from her own room. "Skuld?" She cried out, tearing open the door and freezing at the sight of what awaited her within.

Skuld was curled up in a tight ball, resting on the balls of her feet in a crouch. Her eyes were wide and in constant movement, as though she was observing something only she could see. Both hands where pressed firmly against her skull, one of which held tightly the knife Skuld had found, her knuckles white where she gripped the hilt and fingers entangled in her thick dark hair. Her magic swirled around her like an angry hurricane, threatening anything and everything within range.

Hovering over the girl Noble Scarlet floated, the angel's arms wrapped around her chest as if in pain. Like Skuld, the angel appeared to be lost in the throughs of a vision. The little angel's back arched, and her mouth opened in a mute scream.

Skuld's eyes came to a focus on Urd, and the concentration of magic around the child went wild. Sensing what was about to happen, Urd broke from her position, sprinting to the girl with a shout on her throat. But it was all for naught, as the small Tsunami her sister had created was unleashed, a wave of magic-imbued water slamming into Urd and knocking her out of her room and into the hallway wall.

The water flowed over Urd and through the hallway, flowing into the various rooms located in the Shrine and surging outside, flooding the courtyard. Locked down by the force of the water, Urd could do nothing but wait for the water flow to stop. Spreading her senses, she sought out her sister, feeling out her sister's aura and focusing on the slowly diminishing glow that was her sibling's magic.

Slowly, almost agonizingly slow, the surge of water lessened, and Urd was able to push herself up. She coughed and hacked up the liquid that had entered her lungs before stumbling into her room once more, carefully making her way to her sister, who now sat kneeling on the ground.

"Skuld?" The girl was panting, one hand clutched to her chest, her eyes wide and scared, darting about after some phantom versus the next. The hand clutching the blade lay at her side, and gently Urd moved to pry the weapon away. Noble Scarlet was no where to be seen, most likely having dissapeared once more into Skuld.

The blade now held securely by Urd, the woman kneeled down beside Skuld, gently bringing a hand under the girl's chin and lifting it, raising her chin to meet her eyes. "Skuld? Can you hear me?" She asked, noting the terror that still dwelled within her brown eyes.

Said eyes focused on her face, and Urd watched as they traveled over her, as though searching for something. She could feel where her sibling's eyes wandered, sensing them focus in on the emblem on her forehead and the two under her eyes. Something changed in Skuld's demonare, and the girl relaxed, leaning into her sister with a choked sob.

Urd released a mental curse before wrapping her arms around Skuld, mindful of the weapon she now resting in her left hand. "Shh…it's okay….your safe now." Urd murmured, listening dimly as Skuld's sobs intensified, and recalling another time, many, many years back, of her doing the same action with another girl. One with chesnut-brown hair and gentle blue eyes.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Decided to go back and do some much-needed editing to the chapter as of 2011._


	2. Consequences

Across town, in a small trailer with the sign _Whirwind_ over its entrance, Belldandy paused from the tea she was pouring, her eyes growing wide with alarm as the backlash of Skuld's magic reached her senses. Almost spilling the tea she had made for Keiichi and Chihiro, the goddess quickly set the teapot down, rushing into the next room.

Keiichi and Chihiro were bent over an engine a recent client had brought in, the duo's heads locked together as they quietly discussed the various repairs and upgrades that could be made. As Belldandy entered, Keiichi looked up, a smile on his face as he moved to greet the goddess.

The smile faded quickly, however, as the young man registered the anxious expression on the Norn's face. He quickly stood, worry replacing the smile. "Belldandy? What's wrong?" From where she sat hunched over the engine, Chihiro glanced up with a frown. It was rare for Keiichi's 'girlfriend' to be anything aside from upbeat and cheerful. It was more than a little disconcerting to see Belldandy in her current state.

"Keiichi, I need to return home immediately. Something is wrong with Skuld."

Keiichi stiffened. "What?" He looked down at Chihiro, who was looking at the two of them with concern.

At his gaze, she sent the man a half-hearted glare. "Stop with the look, Morisato. I'm not so cruel as to force you two to stay here during a family emergency. Go on and get out of here."

Keiichi sent his boss a relieved grin. "Thanks Chihiro." He turned back to Belldandy, only to find that the young woman had already vanished. "Bell?"

"Looks like you aren't moving fast enough for her, Keiichi. Better move it before she leaves on your bike."

The young man grimaced. _It's not her stealing my bike that I'm worried about._ None the less, he dashed out of the room, leaving Chihiro in his dust. The woman sat still for a second before standing on her feet, her mouth forming an 'O' as she recalled something. "Ah, that's right!"

She ran out after him, following Keiichi outside and around the back of the trailer. "Keiichi, just remember! This is coming out of your-" The words died in her throat as her employee came to a halt, just as Belldandy sent him an apologetic smile before disappearing into the rearview mirror of Keiichi's bike.

"…paycheck…"

Keiichi turned, a look of dawning horror on his face. "Oh no." _Please tell me she didn't just see that._ A futile hope, yes, but stranger things had happened.

As it was, it seemed that K1 was in the good graces of someone in heaven, as Chihiro chuckled weakly and, like most mortals unused to seeing things that would normally be impossible, she denied what her eyes had told her. "Heh, that Belldandy of yours is quite the magician isn't she?"

The woman turned away, bringing a hand up to rub her temples. "Never mind. Get out of here. I'll give you the rest of the day off this one time. It's not like we're exceptionally busy today, after all." Her back turned to him, she didn't notice her employee's shoulder's sag in relief. To herself she muttered, "but for a second there, I could have sworn that Belldandy actually disappeared into a mirror." The woman shook her head. "I must be overworking myself."

As for Keiichi, the young man decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth and sent a quiet _thank you_ out to anyone upstairs who had sent that small bit of help his way. Then, he quickly climbed onto his bike, strapped on his helmet, and revved the engine. Whatever was going on back home, he hoped it wasn't anything Belldandy couldn't handle until he got back as well.

* * *

In an old abandoned building, Mara looked up from the game she'd been playing. Her attention from the game lost, the small digital avatar on the screen was quickly assaulted by the local monsters, and before long, the words 'GAME OVER' flashed across the screen. Mara paid the game no mind. There were other things to worry about at the moment. Like that spike of power she'd felt run through her a second ago.

The blonde demon frowned. "Senbei." At the sound of his name, the tiny minion appeared at Mara's shoulder, floating up in front of her face.

"Yes Mistress?" The self-proclaimed god asked, dancing in front of the red-eyed woman to a beat only he seemed to hear.

"Keep an eye on the place. Make sure those rats don't screw anything up. I'm heading out."

The little genie almost _squealed_ in delight. "Oh! Of course! And I shall rein misfortune down upon any who would dare ruin your work! It'll be so much _fun._" The minion clapped his hands together, rubbing them together eagerly.

Down below, peering out through one of the many holes that covered the building, the rat in charge of Mara's latest project winced, his ears drooping and tail wrapping around his feet as he turned to his brethren. "And it's times like these that I sincerely regret becoming a sentient being." He muttered.

Around him, his kin could only nod their heads and murmur agreements.

Mara gave Senbei a half-hearted smile, somewhat amused at her small minion's antics. "You do that. I'll be back in a while." With that she disappeared from sight, leaving her small servants to their own devices for a time. Senbei grinned. The rats shuddered.

The first-class demon reappeared outside the building that was serving as her temporary base. Without a care as to who might see her, Mara floated upwards, coming to a pause when she reached the building's crumbling rooftop. Finding a spot on the roof that looked strong enough to still hold her weight, the woman's booted feet touched the ground once more and Mara looked out across the city, somewhat glad that her choice of headquarters had once been a skyscraper.

She looked outwards, her vision drawn in the direction the energy output had originated from. It was coming from the direction of the Morisato Shrine. _Urd._ It figured as much. Absently, the demon rubbed her left shoulder. Her shoulder blade was acting up again. "Seems like the old Angel Biter has nipped another God." She murmured.

She rotated her sore shoulder, going over the stretches her old Gramps had taught her. The ache eased somewhat. She remained standing on the rooftop for a good many hours after that, lost in her own thoughts.

* * *

"Sleep well Skuld. Something tells me you're going to be a bear when you wake up." Urd whispered, tugging the blanket further up Skuld's body, letting it fall at her chin. The child had fallen unconscious quickly after falling into Urd's arms, the exhaustion of using so much uncontrolled magic at one time mixing with the little girl's battered conscious and quickly sending Skuld into the realms of sleep.

With a soft groan, Urd stretched her arms over her head and moved to her feet. With Skuld having fallen asleep in her arms, Urd had taken it upon herself to return the child to her room. It, like everything else, was in a state of disarray, but a quick musical note with the help of World of Elegance had repaired a majority of what was damaged.

Currently Skuld's room was the only dry room in the shrine. But at least the girl wouldn't wake up to a wrecked room, something that would have only added to the temper she'd no doubt have upon awakening.

"You're lucky I love you Brat, otherwise I'd have just let you catch a chill." Urd muttered, exiting the room and quietly shutting the door behind her. "Not that a goddess can catch a chill from something like this…"

She trailed off, wincing slightly in discontent as her bare feet hit the cold, wet floor outside Skuld's room. She sighed, squeezing the bridge of her nose as she took in the state of the building. "And now the fun begins. Better clean all this up before Belldandy gets back. I'm not sure I want to explain _this_ to her."

"And why would you not wish to explain this to me?"

Urd jumped, a feeling of dread falling over her as she looked in the direction of the Tea Room. The door was open and Belldandy stood in it's entrance, still dressed in the dirty jumpsuit she wore whenever working at the Whirwind with Keiichi.

She did not look happy.

Urd grimaced at the small frown on her younger sister's face before sighing. "Belldandy. I didn't hear you arrive." She'd been so preoccupied with Skuld, she hadn't _sensed_ her other sister arrive.

Belldandy nodded curtly, the frown still on her face. She looked past her sister and to the door she was standing outside of. "How is she?"

"Asleep. She exhausted herself using all that magic. She's going to be ravenous when she wakes up."

Another curt nod. "What caused it? This was not a result of one of your usual fights, Urd."

The elder sibling looked away, and Belldandy knew her declaration was correct. She held her silence though, knowing from past experience that urging a guilty Urd would only bring the two of them to blows.

Several painstaking seconds passed, and Urd eventually brought her gaze back to Belldandy. The goddess of the present didn't like what she saw in her sister's violet eyes, and she prepared herself for the worst.

Hesitantly, Urd reached into the folds of her purple gown, withdrawing the blade from where it had lain tucked between her breasts. She had unthinkingly stowed the weapon on her person, stuffing it into her gown out of a long-dead habit when Skuld had fallen asleep against her.

Belldandy's eyes widened in recognition as her gaze traveled to the object, and the woman gasped. Bringing a clenched fist up in front of her mouth, the Norn took several steps backwards, moving out of the hallway and further into the room she had originally arrived in. She stared at Urd in open horror.

"Urd! I thought you said you got rid of that!"

The woman in question quickly stowed the weapon back into her dress, motioning for her younger sister to low her voice. "Keep it down, Bell! I don't need you to wake Skuld up right after I got her down!" She whispered hotly, following her sister into the Tea Room and shutting the door behind her.

Belldandy continued to back away, keeping a keen distance between herself and Urd, but none the less lowered her voice, recalling her younger sister's current state. "Urd you _promised _me you'd get rid of the Angel Biter. Why do you still have it? Especially after everything it's done!" Perhaps sensing her other half's distress, perhaps the appearance of the blade that so horrified Belldandy, Holy Bell emerged from Belldandy's back, and the Angel's bright blue eyes were hard as she stared at Urd, wrapping her arms protectively around her goddess.

Urd bowed her head, knowing full well that the scorn the angel was directing her way was entirely deserved. After all, she'd given Belldandy her _word _that she'd get rid of the old blade. Once upon a time it had been the cause of a great deal of problems for the two Norns, and for Belldandy to see the source of those problems once more rising its ugly head must have been an unwanted shock for the goddess.

Urd looked up once more. Her sister stared back, alarm clear in her eyes, Holy Bell a silent sentinel hovering above her. She steeled herself, her posture stiffening. "I know what I said Belldandy." She brought a hand to her chest, feeling the blade through the fabric of her gown and almost taking comfort at its feel. "But I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it." Urd smiled bitterly. "Some part of me just refuses to let it go."

She shook her head. "But we can discuss this later. For now, we should probably focus on repairing the Shrine. Skuld did quite the number on this place."

Several seconds of silence passed, and Urd sent her younger sister a pleading glance. Finally, Belldandy sighed, the frown melting from her face as she gazed up at Holy Bell. Her angel returned the stare before inclining her head in understanding. As her wings folded up around her, the angel shot Urd one last angry look before sinking once more down into Belldandy's back.

Urd grimaced. "She's not going to forgive me for this anytime soon, is she?" It was more a statement than a question, and Belldandy looked over at her. While the frown was gone, there wasn't exactly a smile on her face. "Did you not say that we would discuss this at a later time and date?"

It wasn't the answer Urd had been hoping to hear. Not a confirmation…but not exactly a denial either. She shoved it to the back of her mind. For the moment, it didn't matter. "Right. I'm going to see just how badly Skuld wrecked my room. I take it you'll take care of this?" She motioned to the room. Belldandy nodded, and Urd was somewhat relieved to see that it wasn't as sharp as the others.

"Let us hurry. I would like for the shrine to be in the same state Keiichi and I had left it in this morning before Keiichi returns."

Urd nodded. "I'll leave you to it, then." She said, turning and exiting the room, the door shutting softly behind her.

Belldandy watched her sister depart, her expression somewhat solemn. "Oh Sister…" She murmured. "For how long do you plan on keeping that weapon? You know better than I it is the property of Demons." An almost fond smile came over her features. "And I am sure Mara would love to see it returned to her."

The goddess gazed around the room. "But I'm sure you already know that." From her back, Holy Bell emerged once more, and Belldandy gazed up at her affectionately. "That which once attempted wound you has left. I believe Urd will keep it under control for the time being. Will you help me restore this room to its former state of glory?"

* * *

Their song followed Urd out the hallway and into her room. Opening the door, the woman took a second to simply stand in the doorway and observe just how bad her room was. "Oh boy."

Various vials and bottles lay scattered on the floor, the only thing having kept them all from breaking being a reinforcement spell Urd habitually placed on all her potions. Living with a younger sister who periodically blew things up, be it on purpose or accidently, would do that to a person. These were the least of her worries, however, as they could be easily picked up and reorganized on their proper shelves. The same could be said for the various items within her dressers, all of which had seals on the inside of the drawers to prevent any serious damage from befalling them.

It was the items in the keystone, however, that caused Urd to moan in anguish. The small piece of fabric she'd fashioned into a crude bag holding the various fangs and claws lay hanging over one of the fallen vials, it's contents more than likely scattered in various locations across the house.

She swore. It had taken her _years_ to collect all the pieces she'd need for the bracelets she'd been making. They were supposed to be part of a set: bracelets, anklets, and a matching necklace. Urd had originally been planning on giving them to Mara as gift when she had been younger. She'd even completed the necklace, though somewhere down the line she'd lost it. It had been a surprisingly painful loss, and Urd had made a promise to herself that if nothing else, she'd complete the bracelets and anklets for her old friend. The goddess still intended to keep that promise, and had even found some spare time since her arrival in the Assiah to work on the pieces.

"It'll take forever to find all the missing pieces without a proper locator spell." She muttered to herself, gathering the fabric and all the visible pieces in the room and placing them on a dresser. "And those aren't my strong suit." A long, pained sigh followed at the acknowledgement of one of her weaker areas in magic. "What else?"

The unicorn horn was easy enough to find. Like the fangs, it too had come loose from the cloth it was wrapped in, but do to it's unique energy signature, Urd had no problem finding it. "And thank the Almighty for that too. You're too precious for me to lose track of." The woman picked the horn up from where it had rolled under the dresser, rubbing it to her cheek affectionately before placing it next to the fangs.

"Next on the list: the Dragon's Tear Whiskey. Oh, that should be _fun_." She muttered sarcastically, staring down at the various bottles and vials at her feet. She shook her head regretfully. "Guess it can't be helped." From behind her, she felt the warmth of World of Elegance emerging from her back, the angel moving to look over her shoulder. Urd sent her other half a tight smile. "Think you can help sort this mess out?" The angel responded with a calm smile, patting the woman's shoulder before moving to pick up the many bottles that littered the floor.

Urd followed suit behind her, picking up various bottles, vials, and jars, reading their labels, and promptly setting them down into what would soon become piles to be sorted through later. "One of the only drawbacks to having so many seals in my room. You can't use any good magic to clean up and sort out a mess of this magnitude." She smiled as she caught her angel's nod of agreement.

"Now, where could that bottle have rolled off to…no wait! Here it is!" She smiled in victory, raising the pale green bottle into the air, the liquid inside sloshing around in discontent. Several seals were engraved into the dull glass, precautions she had taken when she had received the gift from Mara. "Dragon Tear's Whiskey- the best liquor you Niflhiem has to offer. And completely illegal in Heaven."

She still didn't know what Mara had gone through to get the alcohol to her, but sure enough, on one of the few days she'd decided to play hooky on her job, one of Mara's minion's had found her alone and had promptly delivered it to her. It had been only a few days after she'd reached the leagle drinking age in heaven. The only explanation she'd gotten from the little creature that had delivered it was a note: _If you're going to get drunk, you might as well go full out. You never were one to hold back, Urd. So here's to hoping you make a complete fool out of yourself._

Fool indeed. The stuff had been so potent that she'd gotten plastered after the second shot of it. She still couldn't quite recall just _how_ she'd made it back to her room that day. Not to mention the thrice-cursed hangover she'd woken up to the next morning. It'd felt like Hild had decided to smash her way into Urd's skull and start a heavy metal band in her brain.

Shaking her head, Urd brought herself back to the present, setting the bottle to one side where she knew it wouldn't get mixed in with her other potions and ingredients. "And of course, the vial of bicorn's blood." She looked up at World of Elegance. "Be careful with that one if you find it. If it's cracked or broken in any way, don't touch it. It's supposed to be poisonous to divine beings."

The angel gave her a look that clearly said, _I know that_, before turning once more and rummaging through the messy room. Urd rolled her eyes. "Of course you do. You're my angel, after all. What I know, you know." She muttered, following the black and white angel's example and searching for one of the more dangerous items in her possession.

After several minutes of searching and categorizing other ingredients, it was World of Elegance who eventually found the sought after vial.

Urd looked up when she felt the wave of satisfaction traveling through the link she shared with the angel. World of Elegance stood from where she was crouched over, a small, dark blue vial cradled in the palms of her hands. The goddess sighed in relief, walking over and gratefully taking the object from the angel.

"Thank Heavens the Old Man decided to give this thing extra seals." She muttered, carefully examining the small container for any cracks or chips. Like the Whiskey, it too had been a gift-though the circumstances had been much different, and Urd herself had been little more than a child back then.

"Ah yes, that was a long time ago. Back when Mara still went by Marller. The two of us had been stupid enough to wander around in Mrykwood's Forest without a guide. We stumbled upon that lone Bicorn and…" She trailed off, suppressing a shudder. It had been one of the few memories she'd have willingly given up. "Thankfully Mara-_Marller's_-Old Man had found us in the nick of time.

The silver haired woman shook her head, wrapping her hand around the vial and clutching it tightly. "And soon after that I was sent to Heaven." Urd moved back to her dresser, retrieving the items that had been in the Keystone and gathering them on her table. "Well, aside from the fangs, this is everything."

World of Elegance gave her a look, and she shook her head. "No, I don't think I'll return it just yet." Her various possessions placed securely on the table, Urd reached into her dress, rubbing the weathered leather of the Angel Biter's handle. "I think I'll keep it on me for a little while longer."

* * *

A/N: …Damn…I was hoping this would only last one chapter. Once again, It seems I'm splitting the chapter in half. For some reason, this fills me with dread on the second part of the story I want to write. If this is turning into three chapters, I'm afraid what orignally was supposed to be the second chapter will turn into…Anyways, to all who have reviewed, I'm glad you're enjoying the story thus far. I hope I don't dissapoint in this and upcoming chapters. Wish me luck and feel free to drop me a pm or something if you have any questions.

_Comments of a Madwoman: As of 2011, reposted with some much needed editing._


	3. Angel Slayer's History

Keiichi examined the courtyard of the shrine in a mixture of curiosity and dread. The ground was damp under his feet, as though there had been a light rain when he had been at work. Except the sky above him was clear of any clouds, and he sincerely doubted that a light shower of rain would wreck not only Banpei, but Skuld's latest robot, Sigel, as well. He stared at the two of them wearily from where they lay collapsed outside the house.

From the looks of things, the two of them had once again been engaged in their daily game of cat and mouse, in which a rather angry Sigel tried with all her might to escape the love-struk Banpei, usually succeeding when Sigel was lucky enough to pull the older robot's power switch.

In fact, it had looked like the android girl had been in the middle of doing just that when…whatever happened, happened. Sigel laid in front of Banpei, turned in such an angle that she seemed to have turned to look back at her pursuer as she ran. Judging from the disconnected hand that lay next to the fallen Banpei, she'd attempted to Rocket Punch the robot, and might have even succeeded in that department.

But there was no way for Keiichi to be sure. As it was, he wasn't foolish enough to move closer for a better look. Both the Guardian Robot and the Android Girl had a dangerous amount of sparks flying from them. It would probably be hazardous to his health to get within ten feet of the two with how water-laden the ground around them was.

"Did Skuld do this?" He wondered alound, carefully keeping his distance from the two 'bots and heading inside. Removing his shoes, Keiichi could make out Belldandy's voice coming from down the hallway. The young man's brows scrunched together in curiosity. Why was she singing?

Shrugging, the dark-haired youth stepped into the hallway. Whatever the reason, he'd find out eventually. "Belldandy! I'm bac-Ow!" K1 stumbled back, hissing out a curse as he grabbed his right foot, staring down at the offensive item that had decided to lodge itself in his flesh.

As he pried the object loose-what was it, some sort of fang?- Belldandy poked her head out from one of the rooms, staring at him in concern. "Keiichi dear? What's the matter?" She left the room, entering the hallway and making her way towards him.

"Ah, it's nothing Bell. I just stepped on something." Leaning against the wall, he examined the underside of his foot, pleased somewhat to see that there was no blood. Belldandy appeared at his shoulder. "Are you alright?" She asked, her voice thick with worry.

The youth laughed nervously, dropping his foot and testing it's weight on the ground. "Don't worry about it, I'm fine." He said reasurringly, a light blush appearing in his cheeks at the close proximity of the goddess. "B-but yeah, take a look at what I stepped on."

He showed Belldandy the fang, watching as she gasped lightly before gently taking it from him. "Oh, you poor Dear!" She cried out. "I'm so sorry! I thought I'd found them all. They've been littered all over the house. I think they're Urd's" She pocketed the tooth in the folds of her apron (she must have changed after coming home, he thought.) before redirecting her attention to him.

Keiichi stared at the goddess in curiosity as she pulled back, looking past him as though searching for more 'loose teeth'. The flush in his cheeks faded somewhat. "What make you think they're Urd's?" He asked, tipping his head to the side in a way that reminded Belldandy of a puppy.

Resisting the urge to pat his head, Belldandy stuffed her hands into her pockets, feeling the smooth, somewhat cool fangs she'd been collecting since she and Holy Bell had started repairing the house. She'd found that if she listened carefully, the Norn could still 'hear' the songs of those they had once been attached to. And she wasn't sure if she was comforted or not by the fact that not all of the ones she'd found had a Divine Tune to them.

"Urd has had a…hobby for collecting such items since we were both young children." She said. "And the incident with Skuld happened to take place in her room, so…" She shook her head, trailing off. "But come, such matters can be discussed in greater detail later. I was just making some tea. Would you like some?"

Keiichi straightened at the mention of Skuld, but something in Belldandy's bearing made him pause. "Sure…I'd love some tea, Bell." He said, watching as the woman blessed him with a short smile before turning and walking into the Tea Room. He followed mutely behind, the question of just what was happening hanging inside his throat.

Entering after Belldandy, Keiichi wasn't sure if he should have been surprised or not to find Urd already sitting at the table, her head propped up on one hand, staring off into space. She blinked as the duo entered, returning from wherever her mind had wandered off to. The young man caught a flicker of…something, pass through her eyes as she met Belldandy's, but it was gone before he could identify it.

He did notice, however, the tensing of Urd's shoulders as her younger sister passed her. He also saw the rather wide berth Belldandy walked around her older sister, as though the younger woman was afraid to come too close.

Taking a seat to the right of Urd, Keiichi silently recalled Belldandy's earlier words. Skuld had been in Urd's room when _it_ happened. Whatever _it_was. But what did that mean for Urd? Something had happened between Bell and her in the time it had taken for Keiichi to return home. Did it have something to do with Skuld? Keiichi's frown was troubled, and he looked worriedly between the two siblings. What was he missing?

The atmosphere of the room was stifling, as though a fight might break out at any moment. Sensing this, Keiichi wisely held his silence. Whatever was going on between the two sisters, he didn't want to be the one to set them off.

"I'll be right back with some tea." Belldandy said, eyeing Urd one last time before turning and quickly exiting the room, shutting the door behind her. Urd released a sigh at her sibling's departure, and it was like someone had popped a bubble of pressure. Urd's stance relaxed, and Keiichi suddenly found his voice.

"Urd? What's going on?" He asked, the young man's voice thick with concern as he looked over at the goddess. "Did something happen between you and Belldandy? What happened to Skuld? Is she alright?"

The goddess looked at him from the corner of an eye, a somewhat amused smile on her face. Keiichi failed to see anything amusing about the current situation. Still, she held out a hand, motioning him to calm down. "Relax. One question at a time." Her whole attitude had changed with Belldandy's departure, he noticed.

"First off, Skuld is fine. She snuck into my room earlier today and decided to play around with something she shouldn't have, and as a result, exhausted her magic. She's currently snoozing in her own room, though I would stay a good distance from her room altogether. She's going to be inconsolable when she wakes up."

"Is that why Banpei and Sigel are such a wreck outside?"

Surprise registered in Urd's violet eyes. "Is that where the two of them are? I'd forgotten all about them." The woman shrugged a shoulder. "Oh well, just one more thing for Skuld to get all pissy about when she wakes up again."

Keiichi blinked, pulling back slightly. "Ah…right. Well, so long as she's okay, I guess that's all that matters."

Urd's eyes flickered away, and that distant look came over her once more. "Yeah…" Obviously there was more to the story then just that. Keiichi quielty wondered what, exactly, Urd was leaving out. He mentally shook his head. Whatever it was, she'd probably left it out for a reason, and knowing her, it would do neither of them any good to push the subject.

"So what's up with you and Belldandy then?" He asked, Urd's eyes once more flicking back to his. "Oh, that?" She asked, reaching, much to Keiichi's horror, a hand down into her dress.

"Urd, what are you-" His words were cut off as he stared, wide eyed, at the knife she withdrew from her dress. The college student recoiled slightly at the sight of the blade, perhaps surprised to see such a thing on Urd's person.

If Urd was affected in any way by his behavior, she hid it well. "Bell's a little tense because she can sense _this_on me whenever she gets too close." The Norn laid the blade on the table, a clear invitation for Keiichi to get a closer look at the thing.

Keiichi took the invitation, moving closer but refraining from touching it. "Since Bell's found out I still have it, I've even taken off the seal that masked it's true presence from those who hold a first-class license and below." He noticed that she didn't specify on whether the license owner was demon or goddess.

The Angel Biter itself had changed somewhat in appearance from the blade both Skuld and Belldandy had laid eyes on. The two notches Skuld had seen in her vision had revealed themselves, and Keiichi was reminded somewhat of a grinning wolf. He also noticed that the very tip of the blade was snapped off, and he wondered just what it had struck to loose it's point. Despite the broken tip, however, Keiichi was given the impression of a rather old, well-used knife-one that had been well-loved by it's owner.

"I'm afraid I don't follow you Urd. Why do you have a knife on you? No offense or anything, but you never really struck me as the type to carry around a weapon." _You'd simply electrocute them instead._

Urd took her time responding, a finger reaching out and tracing the outline of the blade, coming to a halt at the broken tip and rubbing it with something like affection. "Keiichi, what do you know of the Valkyries?" She asked, her gaze traveling down to the knife resting on the table.

"What?" Where had this come from? Keiichi looked from Urd to the knife. Did Valkyries have something to do with the knife? Eyeing the inverted teeth that lined the two notches, he decided it was a pretty good possibility. "Um…not a whole lot. I know Lind is a Valkyrie, and that from what I've seen of _her_, the Valkyries are kind of comparable to a military unit. But that's about it."

Urd nodded, and Keiichi was given the impression that once again, some part of her had left the table. "Do you want me to tell you why the Doublet System was originally created?" She asked, suddenly staring the younger man in the eyes.

The intensity of the stare was more then a little intimidating, and Keiichi quickly found himself looking away. He diverted his eyes to the knife once more. "Uh…sure, I guess…" Somehow he got the impression that even if he'd refused, the Norn would have told him.

He could almost _feel_ her smile. "Good." She said.

"A long long time ago, before the Doublet System had been introduced, hell, before I was even born, probably, Heaven and Hell-more commonly known as Niflhiem-where in a constant state of war. Gods and Demons killed one another with little remorse for one another, and it was said that their screams filled the air like a constant song of pain and death."

Keiichi listened silently, staring hard at the blade, his mind's eye filling with shadowy figures attacking one another.

"Among these two sides, the Almighty eventually grew tired of the constant bloodbath, and so, organized a special division of goddesses to fight off the hordes of demons. They became known as the Valkyries, and they where lead by three sisters. The sisters, Badb Catha, Morrigan, and Macha, where among the best War Deities of Heaven, and they took to their new positions like bees to honey.

Under their leadership, any and all gods and goddesses who weren't a part of the Valkyrie squadrent were returned to heaven, no exceptions, not even to those who where originally War Dieties. Quite frankly, it pissed a good number of gods off, but that isn't important. What _is_important is the fact that with that simple order, the number of divine deaths suddenly plummeted, mostly due to the fact that the demons suddenly found themselves with a great deal less easy pickings, i.e., deities who where not originally intended for war."

Keiichi took a second to look up, nodding encouragingly to the other goddess. That odd flicker flashed in her eyes again, and she gave Keiichi a wane smile before continuing.

"And suddenly the Demons found themselves at a disadvantage. The easy pickings were gone, replaced by a legion of trained warriors who wasted no time in executing their own lesser skilled demons. The tides had turned, and the demons found themselves on the verge of defeat.

From there, it's said that Hild, in a spark of rage and blood lust, did something that no person, be they divine or damned, had ever done before. Rather then attack the goddess she was facing at the time, instead, she assaulted that goddess' angel."

Keiichi's eyes widened, and he stared up at Urd, spellbound in the story she was weaving in front of his face. He could almost _see_Hild driving a sword into the poor angel's flesh.

"Now, the reasons as to why Hild attacked the angel rather then the goddess have never been properly explained, though many have come up with their own reasons. Some claim she mistook the angel for her original target. Others claim that the angel, in a last ditch effort to protect her goddess, through herself on Hild's blade. Still others think that Hild, in her fit of rage, wanted her prey to suffer as much as possible, and thought such an action to be achievable with the death of the angel. No one, not even I, is entirely sure, as she's never spoken upon the subject.

But whatever her reason, Hild killed the angel before the goddess, and the Valkyrie sent out a wail so full of pain and sorrow, that everyone on the battlefield-goddess, demon, angel, and devil familiar, found themselves frozen in horror. Everyone directed their attention to the Daimakaicho and the Valkyrie. Hild, frozen just as everyone else was, could only watch as the Valkyrie's eyes then rolled up into her head and the goddess dropped from the sky, falling to the earth below."

Keiichi felt a shudder travel up his spine. It reminded him somewhat of the incident with Hild and her Angel Eater. What had Belldandy said? _One heart, one body._An angel that was forcibly removed from it's god was bad enough. But the consequences of an angel actually _dieing_?

Next to him, Urd continued with her tale, ignorant to the thoughts running through Keiichi's mind. He focused on her words once more.

"It's said that in that moment, watching the goddess tumble from the heavens, the angel hanging limp on her sword, Hild came up with a platoon of warriors to rival the power of the Valkyries. And so it was that the Angel Slayers were born."

Keiichi swallowed reflexively. Something about the tone in which Urd spoke the words '_Angel Slayer_' filled him with dread. The door to the tea room opened, and Belldandy entered once more, holding a tray with three teacups, the tea kettle, and a small platter of biscuits in her hands. She silently joined them, sitting across from her sister and distributing the cups to the table's occupants.

Urd seemed to take no notice of her sister, and Keiichi was somewhat relieved to find that the air didn't become quite as oppressive as it had once been when he'd first entered the room. He did notice Belldandy eyeing the knife, but otherwise the younger woman remained calm, taking a sip of the newly brewed tea before directing her attention to Urd's story, polite interest on her face.

"Now, Angel Slayers are different from your typical demon, just as Valkyries are different from your typical goddess. They road onto the battlefield on the backs of Bicorns, creatures that would tear the unwary apart, if not with their horns, then with their leopard-like teeth. The wielded weapons that sang a tune crafted from the Angel Eater, bringing angel's out into the open and away from the Valkyrie they guarded."

Urd paused, staring down at the knife before her, before looking up, regarding Keiichi and Belldandy with sharp violet eyes. They stayed on Belldandy for a second longer then Keiichi thought was necessary.

"It's said that go mad when they lay eyes upon an angel. That they will stop at nothing to slay that angel, that the Slayers ignore everything else until that angel lays impaled on their weapon of choice. The only exception to this rule, is Hild herself, for one such as her is simply too powerful to loose herself to the Death Song of the Slayers' weapons.

With the formation of Hild's Angel Slayers, it's said that even more death befell the two warring sides, moreso then before the formation of the Valkyrie squadrent. It was said to have grown so bad, that when the Almighty called for a ceasefire, Hild all but leaped for the invitation.

And with the coming of the ceasefire came the birth of the doublet system, which connected a goddess and a demon to one another, actively preventing one another form killing another being, be they divine or damned. The system is still in use to this very day.

Her eyes locked with Keiichi's, and the spell that Urd's story had weaved around him broke. The young man flinched under her gaze, and unconciously he inched closer to Belldandy. "Now, Keiichi, would you like me to tell you why, it is, that I suddenly decided to share with you a rather bloody bit of ancient history with you?"

Keiichi blinked, scratching the back of his head nervously. "Uh…sure. That'd be nice…I think…" He started when he felt a hand land on his arm, surprised to see that it was Belldandy's. He looked at her with a questioning gaze. She returned it with a comforting smile, and he felt some of his trepidation towards Urd vanish.

If Urd took notice, she chose not to comment, instead fiddling with the knife that still lay on the table. "This knife is better known as the Angel Biter." That look again. "Now, based on the name alone and the little history lesson I just gave you, what does this blade tell you?"

"Ah…" When had this become a lecture in Otherworldly Militia? "Well…I guess with a name like Angel Biter, I'd guess that this knife belongs to an Angel Slayer?" At Urd's nod of confirmation, he continued, growing more hesitant with each word that left his throat. "Um…is it…Hild's?" He asked, almost afraid to ask when he considered the already strained relationship between the mother and daughter.

Urd narrowed her eyes at him, and Keiichi drew farther back from the woman. At that moment, she shared a resemblance to her mother that bordered on terrifying.

As it was, it was Belldandy who answered his question, much to Keiichi's surprise. "No. The Angel Biter was never one of Hild's weapons. At least, not as far as I know." Belldandy glanced at her sister, but Urd offered neither a confirmation nor a denial. "Actually, the Angel Biter originally belonged to Mara before it wound up in Urd's possessions."

Keiichi turned to stare at Belldandy, blinking several times as his mind processed her words. "Mara? As in the Mara who is allergic to lucky charms and can't stop dancing when she hears rock? That Mara?" The very same demon who sung Karaoke at that hot springs resort with Urd? The same person who, upon making a clone of Urd, had come almost _begging_to Belldandy in the hopes of reuniting Urd's goddess and demon half?

"She's an Angel Slayer!?" He asked. From the various run-in's he'd had with her, Keiichi would have called Mara a lot of things: crazy, cruel, incompetent, maybe even sadistic if one squinted. But he'd never gotten the impression of a killer. Not even when she was working under Hild during the Angel Eater incident.

Belldandy tilted her head to one side, bringing a finger to her lips in thought. "Oh dear...I believe I've explained it incorrectly…" Her gaze darted over to Urd. "How do I explain it…"

The platinum-haired woman shook her head, an amused smile on her face. "Relax Keiichi. The Mara you know isn't an Angel Slayer."

Keiichi looked over at her, surprising himself at the surge of relief that swelled through him at Urd's words. "So then that knife-Angel Biter, right?-It doesn't belong to…_our_ Mara?"

Urd shook her head once more. "Oh no, it belongs to her." She held up a finger to silence Keiichi as his mouth opened in protest. "Calm down Keiichi. The blade is a family heirloom. She got it from her grandfather, an old fart who'd served under Hild during the war between the two factions."

"Oh…that's something of a relief." The young man paused for a second. "Wait. Mara has a grandfather?"

Next to him, Urd's head hit the table with an audible 'thunk'. It was through sheer luck that her head didn't hit the small teacup in front of her, something that could have had disastrous results. Before either of the other two could comment, Urd raised her head from the table, staring at Keiichi in disbelief.

"Oh, come on! You've met my mother, and you're living with three divine sisters. Is it really that hard to believe that a demon like Mara would have a grandfather?" Urd rubbed her temples in exaggerated irritation. "Jeeze Keiichi, it isn't like we suddenly pop into existence."

"Ah…t-that's not what I meant, Urd!" Keiichi stuttered out, his cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

Belldandy giggled next to him. "But it's true. When we were all children, Mara had been accompanied by her grandfather several times whenever we met. He always seemed to have a story to tell, and it was interesting hearing about that war from someone who had been on the opposite side."

Across from her, Urd grimaced. "Yeah, the Old Man never could seem to shut up. I swear I'd heard the same story from him at _least_ fifty times. And that was only if you could actually keep him on track with the story. Otherwise he'd drift off into an entirely unrelated subject."

Keiichi couldn't help but grin at that. From what the siblings were describing, Mara's grandfather sounded a lot like any other grandparent. If one took out the slaying of angels and demon bit, anyways.

"Alright. I think I understand a little better now. But then, if this is Mara's," he pointed to the knife. "What are you doing with it, Urd?"

The older woman fidgeted at his question, staring down at the knife and picking it up. She frowned uneasily. "In all honesty, I don't know. I just kind of…woke up to find it on my person one day. I can't remember how I got it for the life of me, especially since, back then, Mara was never seen without the stupid thing."

Keiichi cocked his head at an angle. "Why didn't you simply return it to her then?"

Urd shifted her grip on the blade, catching her reflection in the scratched metal. She smiled bitterly. "You know what? Belldandy asked me that same question a long time ago." She looked up, glancing at Belldandy before shifting her gaze to Keiichi. "I never did come up with an answer to it."

The woman sighed, leaning back slightly and drawing the demon's blade back into the folds of her dress. "But it's getting late, and there's something I need to do tonight." Urd unfolded herself from the table, standing and stretching her arms over her head.

"What?" Keiichi blinked, looking over at the large grandfather clock positioned against one of the walls. Sure enough, the clock read six-fifteen, much to the surprise of both himself and Belldandy. Had they really spent so much time talking?

"Oh my! I need to get dinner started!" Belldandy cried out, quickly moving to stand and darting out with a quick apology to those present.

Keiichi watched the woman he loved run off with an affectionate smile. Following the other two, the collage student moved to his feet, taking note that the tea Belldandy had made lay forgotten on the table. He'd take care of it later. Instead he looked over at Urd. "So what are you planning to do tonight then?" He asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Urd smirked. "I plan to do something I haven't done in a month of Sundays, Keiichi." She turned to the door walking towards it and pausing as she stepped into the hallway beyond. "After what happened today, I plan on getting utterly and thoroughly drunk, in a way that only a goddess can." She flashed him a smile before closing the door behind her, leaving Keiichi alone with nothing more then Belldandy's untouched tea for company.

~*~

A/N: Hm…Not sure how I feel about this one…I guess it's so-so in my book. I feel like I had everyone talking a little too much, and I don't like how Urd's 'history lesson' came out. Ah well. I didn't want to waste too much time with going back and trying to redo everything, so hopefully you all will find this chapter somewhat tolerable. Spell check is still a royal pain in the ass for me, but thankfully I have the spell check in fanfic dot net to help me with that. Until next time.


	4. Don't Forget the Whiskey

Belldandy darted around the kitchen, pulling ingredients from various cabinets and containers, a soft hum in her throat as she went about preparing dinner. She'd fallen into a better mood with the house repaired, and even though the constant presence of the Angel Biter on Urd had been stressful, she'd found the conversation between herself, Urd, and Keiichi somewhat of a relief. It helped somewhat that Urd had taken off the awful illusion seal she'd placed on it. At least for the moment, Belldandy could keep track of it's location.

Even now, she could feel it's presence, an old, familiar aura that was tinged with an ever constant demon magic, proof that it was, in fact, a product of the infernal realm. The Norn turned as the aura grew stronger, tendrils reaching out to brush her mind. Belldandy easily turned them away, feeling them retreat from her form and returning to the old weapon that housed the aura.

"Urd." She greeted, a small smile on her face as she greeted her older sister. The older Norn returned the smile, perhaps sensing her sister's change in attitude. "Cooking always did put you in a better mood, didn't it?" She asked, moving from the kitchen entrance to lean up against the counter, being sure to stand in a spot safely out of Belldandy's way.

Belldandy's only response was a smile more enthusiastic then the last. "Is there something you want, Sister Dear?" She asked, taking a brief pause to run through all the items she'd gathered, making sure she hadn't missed anything.

From her place near the counter, Urd shook her head. "Nah, just wanted to tell you that I'm going out for a while." She fell silent once more, and Belldandy looked up at the dark skinned woman. Sensing that her sister had more to say, Belldandy waited patiently, knowing that Urd would get to it when she was good and ready.

"Are you planning on making Skuld ice cream when she wakes up?" Belldandy hid the smile that appeared on her face. She'd been right. "Well, yes, I was. I'm sure she'll have a strong desire for it when she wakes up again. Why do you ask, Urd?"

Urd shifted her weight from one foot to the other, looking more then a little uncomfortable. "Could you…not make her ice cream?" She asked. "I was…planning on taking her out when she woke up. My treat." The woman said, staring down at the counter top with a sudden interest.

Ah, so _that _was what this was all about. She was still feeling guilty about the Angel Biter's attack on Skuld. Now why did _that_ feel so familiar? Belldandy's eyes softened. "Of course." She said, more then happy to help her sister make amends for the accident. The middle sister moved to her older sibling. "Excuse me for a second, I need to grab something…" She trailed off, reaching into the cabinet above Urd's head and withdrawing a measuring cup.

The item in the Norn's possession, she paused, meeting Urd's violet eyes with her own sapphire-blue ones. "After all, this time you have World of Elegance to help you. And really, wasn't it the angel who was hurt more then the goddess? I'm sure things will go easier for you with an angel of your own to help comfort it."

Belldandy then turned away, but not before catching her sister's amethyst eyes widening in surprise. She made it three steps away before she felt her sibling's arms wrap around her in a tight embrace. "Thanks Bell."

And then the hug was over, leaving nothing but the retreating tingle of the Angel Biter in her sister's wake. Belldandy stared down at the measuring cup in her hands, a soft smile on her face. "Anytime Sister." She murmured. "Anytime." She moved once more to the various ingredients lining the counter. "After all, what good is family, if you cannot rely on them in a time of need?"

~*~

The night air was cool against her skin. Urd breathed it in deeply, feeling both refreshed and rejuvenated as she stepped outside. The woman had changed her clothes, leaving behind her purple dress for something a little more fitting for what she had in plan for the night.

Her new dress consisted of a pair of black jeans with stylish tears running up each side of her legs and a sleeveless white shirt that left her belly exposed to the world to see. Over the shirt, a simple leather jacket. A small bag hung from her back, the contents of which only she knew of.

The night was alive with the nocturnal, their songs strong and flowing through her, seeming to ask the goddess to join them. Somewhere above her head, an owl hooted. Urd smiled, feeling an itch run along her shoulder blades. She had a sudden desire to spread her wings.

~*~

Mara kicked her feet idly from where she sat on the unfinished construction building. She sat alone on one of the many beams that protruded from the tower, like bones from a dead and rotting beast. Ironically, though Mara didn't know it, the building she rested upon was the exact same building a child-sized Urd had brought a young Shohei to several months ago.

Not that any of that mattered. The demon stared down at the land below her, where the lights of the city shone back at her, a perverted reflection of the sky that hung above her head. The woman bit the nail of her thumb. She'd been lost in thought all day, and as night came, she'd moved away from her temporary base of operations in the hopes of catching some alone time after several frantic rats had found her and demanded she get Senbei back under control. They had only left her alone when she'd threatened to blast them into their next incarnation.

Red eyes distant and unfocused, the first-class demon almost didn't catch the odd pair of wings flying below her. In fact, if she hadn't actually _sensed_ the owner of the pair of wings, the chances were high that the goddess they belonged to would have flown right under Mara without her noticing.

However, as it was, Mara had left her senses open for exactly that reason. After all, it would do no good for her to allow some damn Norn to sneak up on her while she was daydreaming. Her Gramps had beaten that into her after one too many times of a young Urd getting the better of her when she wasn't paying attention.

With a blink, the red eyes snapped back to the present, automatically seeking out the goddess that was, quite literally, flying under her nose. "Urd has an angel…" She murmured, a flicker of surprise crossing her ruby orbs. The blonde demon scowled. "Idiot. Of course she has an angel." She berated herself. "She's a goddess, after all, not a demon."

Still…this had to have been the first time Mara had really seen any solid evidence of Urd's angel. Had she caught a glimpse of an angel with a black wing back with Hild and the Angel Eater? She couldn't quite recall…

The demon shrugged a shoulder. If she had or not, it didn't matter now. Not when the owner of the angel in question was slowly gliding up to her.

Mara felt herself grow tense as Urd, who must have sensed her from below, flew up to meet her. The demon stood, shifting into a guarded stance as the goddess approached, flying over Mara's head before somersaulting in the air, the white and black wings disappearing as she landed on a metal beam parallel to the one the blonde woman was standing on. _Show-off_.

"Urd, just what the hell are you doing here?" Mara hissed, her crimson eyes narrowing in suspicion. Across from her, Urd smirked, unshouldering the bag that Mara had failed to notice and rifling through it. "Urd…" She growled warningly.

"Yeah, yeah. Hold your horses, Mara." Urd said, apparently unconcerned with the demon's present state of mind. "Ah, here we go!" The dark skinned goddess pulled out a bottle, and any feelings of hostility Mara had been feeling flew out the window, replaced, instead, with curiosity.

"Care for a drink?" The silver-haired woman asked, brandishing the bottle of Dragon Tears Whiskey like a peace offering, smiling as the woman across from her relaxed.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"Have I ever settled for anything less then the real stuff?"

"No, which is why it was always a bitch getting gifts for you. You do realize that we could get into a lot of trouble if someone catches us up here."

Urd's smirk was devious. "Why Mara, whatever are you talking about? It is only through sheer coincidence that the two of us met up. It isn't as though either of us actually went out _looking_ for the other, am I right?"

Mara remained silent for several seconds, before smiling ruefully and shaking her head. "Alright, fine you win this time." The woman moved to sit on her beam once more, watching as Urd mirrored her actions, one leg dangling in the air, the other tucked securely underneath her.

That done, she grabbed her bag once more, rummaging around inside before withdrawing two small shot glasses, one of which she filled and offered to Mara. Her companion accepted it with a thin smile, reaching over and taking the glass somewhat stiffly from Urd.

Urd's eyes flashed, and she frowned in concern as she poured her own drink. "Shoulder bothering you again?" She asked, keeping her voice light and easy. Mara never had been one for pity, and she couldn't stand it when it sounded as though someone was actually concerned about her.

Across from her, Mara glared into her glass. "Only a little. It's fine, really." She said shortly, growing defensive at even that small bit of talk. She downed her liquor, gasping slightly as the potent alcohol raced down her throat like a bush fire. The woman held her glass out to Urd, silently demanding another shot.

Urd complied, waiting for Mara to lean back and grow comfortable once more before downing her own. "You know, I can make you a potion to help ease the pain. No one is forcing you to live with it."

Mara shook her head. "Drop it Urd. You know as well as I do that it only bugs me when the damned blade is being used. Otherwise it's like it's not even there. You're only offering it because you feel guilty for what happened."

"_Marller."_

The woman looked up in surprise, frowning when she caught the look on Urd's face. "It's been a long time since I've been called by that name. This really _is _bugging you, isn't it Urd?"

Urd dropped her gaze, staring in sudden interest at her empty shot glass. "A couple of things happened today. Some of which reminded me about what happened that day. Guess I'm just getting a little too caught up in the past."

Mara snorted, shifting her position to stretch out on her beam, propping her head up with an arm. "Don't tell me you're getting all emotional on me Urd. You know as well as I do that what happened back there had been an accident. You were no more responsible for what happened then I was."

Urd scowled, holding back the sudden urge to throw her glass at Mara's head. "Don't be stupid. Of course I know it was an accident. But I can't help but think that if I was a little faster, if I'd done something differently-"

"If you'd done anything differently, the results would have been either Belldandy dead or in a coma, or you critically injured." Mara interrupted, slamming her hand down onto the beam and leaving an indent of her fist behind. No doubt the construction workers would have a tough time explaining _that_ to their boss. "Be happy that all that resulted from the whole thing was a small injury on my behalf."

Urd glared moodily at her friend, before leaning back with a sigh. "You're right, scarily enough. I've just been moody all day because of what happened. Once Skuld wakes up again, I'll probably just brush it off as another 'family adventure'.

Mara raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask for Urd to elaborate. Something Urd was secretly greatful for. Instead, the fanged woman shrugged her shoulder and said, "moving on then. So tell me, what's with the wings? Usually you just use that broom of yours to fly, or you simply levitate with your magic. I've never really known you as the sort to use an angel for transportation."

The subject moving on to more lighter topics, Urd grinned, pouring herself another shot and offering the same to Mara when she noticed the demon's glass was empty once more. "Just had the urge to stretch my wings, I guess." She replied lightly. "Why, are you jealous, Mara?"

Mara snorted in amusement. "Yes Urd, as the granddaughter of an Angel Slayer who grew up listening to how he repeatedly disemboweled one angel several different ways, I am envious of the fact that you have an angel." She said, her words dripping with sarcasm and earning a chuckle from the violet-eyed woman across from her.

The blonde cracked a smile of her own before growing serious once more. "But seriously. When did you get an angel? I honestly can't recall having seen you with one up until this point."

Urd tilted her head to the side. "Oh? Not even with Hild and the Angel Eater? I thought she'd brought you along on that mission of her's." She said, staring at the demon with a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

Mara grunted. "Yeah, I was with her on that mission. Too bad I was tied up most of the time by that brat sister of yours and your other sister's boyfriend." She snorted, idly swirling the amber liquid in her glass before drinking it. "Hell, the only time I wasn't tied up was when everyone left me to deal with Hild and her 'pet'. Without any of them watching me, I was able to escape my bindings." She smiled ruefully. "And that, of course, was around the time the stupid thing decided to go bonkers on us. I didn't exactly have time to look around and see what type of angel you had, Urd."

Urd nodded in understanding. "That's true. I'd been out of it for most of the time too. From what the others said, I was the thing's first victim, planet-side. Of course, I can only remember hearing that damn _screech_ it made before World of Elegance popped out of me and decided to get herself eaten."

Mara raised an eyebrow. "World of Elegance? That's the name of your angel?" At Urd's nod, the demon laughed. "You goddesses…I swear you come up with the most ridiculous names for things sometimes."

Urd sent Mara a dirty look. "Oh? Is that a fact? Do you want to test it?" From her back, the black and white pair of wings Mara had glimpsed before appeared, as well as the angel they were connected to. She had to give Urd some credit at least. When it came to unique, you couldn't find an angel more worthy of the title.

Urd pointed to the angel behind her, shifting to cross one leg over the other. "I bet World of Elegance could wipe the floor with you, right here and now." Behind her, the odd tattooed angel smirked at Mara, as though trying to bait the demon into a fight.

Mara fell silent, taking a moment to observe the angel before flashing Urd a fanged smile. "Have I told you you're an idiot? The last thing I need is to start picking fights with angels. Or have you already forgotten the Angel Slayer's blood in me? If I start fighting angels now, the next thing you know I'll be trying to kill them, and none of us want that."

She hadn't taken the bait. Looked like her self-control had gotten better. Urd could recall a time when a younger Mara wouldn't have hesitated to let herself get goaded into a fight like that, be it with an angel or a goddess. She smiled, her teeth a bright contrast against her darker skin. As if it was a signal, she felt World of Elegance sink once more inside her. "You forget Mara, I have Angel Slayer's blood in me too. Hild is, after all, their leader." Her grin turned bitter. "Hell, it's probably stronger in me then it is in you."

"Kind of makes you wonder what would happen if Hild called upon it, doesn't it?"

This time Urd didn't bother holding back, taking careful aim and launching her shot glass at Mara's head. The glass hit it's intended target with a dull 'thump', before letting gravity take over and sending the item tumbling towards the earth below. Mara snatched it before it fell too far out of reach.

"Damn it Urd!" She snarled. "What the hell was that for!?"

Amethyst eyes glared back. "You should know. Don't even joke about things like that. I'm plagued with enough uncomfortable thoughts as it is right now. I don't need you adding to the mix." Urd growled out.

Mara narrowed her eyes. "Come off it. I was just being realistic." She moved to sit up, one hand rubbing the spot the shot glass had hit, the other lightly tossing said glass up and down. Baring her teeth, she sent the small cup flying back to it's owner, her lips quirking upwards in a victorious smile as the tiny glass bounced off Urd's left shoulder.

Urd scowled, shifting into a more comfortable position on her beam. That done, she sent a light bolt of electricity at Mara, something too weak to even be called an 'Urd Bolt' and thus, going unnoticed by any otherworldly beings within range. "You can be 'realistic' all you want. Just don't share them with me." The bolt hit Mara's arm, leaving the woman's black sleeve smouldering and smoking, but otherwise unharmed.

Mara leaped to her feet, patting the smouldering sleeve and sending an angry glare Urd's way. Urd followed the motion, the shot glass that had landed in her lap after striking her shoulder once more falling to the ground below. Neither woman paid it any heed.

"I'll share whatever the hell I want with you, Urd!" Mara snarled, small embers dancing harmlessly across her form as she gathered her magic around her.

"Not if I shut you up first, Mara!" Urd hissed, her own magic gathering around her in the form of tiny bolts of electricity.

Mara let loose an angry howl and leaped at Urd, knocking the goddess from her beam and sending the two down to the streets below. The bottle of Dragon Tear's Whiskey lay all but forgotten on the metal beam Urd had placed it, right next to the small bag Urd had carried it in. No doubt, had it had the ability to think, it would wonder, hadn't it been brought along to prevent such an incident from happening?

The two combatants, meanwhile, were decending to the ground at a rapid pace. In fact, if they weren't so busy trying to singe one another, they might have noticed that, due to their fall, accelerated all the more by their various abilities, they had caught up with the falling shot glass. A second later, and the glass was above them, both woman too preoccupied with one another to bother with a simple levitation spell.

Urd and Mara hit the ground with all the intensity of a stone elephant, leaving a rather sizable crater around them. Once again, it would be something the construction workers would all scratch their heads about come morning, but neither goddess nor demon had such thoughts on their minds at that particular moment.

With a groan, Urd staggered to her feet, her outfit ripped and singed and covered with dust and dirt. Below her, Mara rolled off her back and onto her stomach, having taken the blunt of the impact. She coughed before pushing herself to her feet, stumbling slightly as gravity fought to pull her once more to the ground. Like Urd, her outfit had suffered from their little mid-air battle, but otherwise, both Urd and herself were, for the most part, uninjured.

The duo climed out of the impact crater, both collapsing to the ground at the depression's perimeter. Sitting across from one another once more, the two lapsed into silence, neither one suddenly in the mood to strike up a conversation after their somewhat brief fight. So they settled for the next best thing. Glaring at one another.

It was around that time that the poor abused and forgotten shot glass finally caught up with it's owner, dropping from the heavens above and striking Mara on top of the head. The demon twitched as the glass shattered on her blonde head, no doubt littering her hair with it's broken fragments. Across from her, Urd blinked, lifting her head from where it rested propped up on an arm.

She couldn't help it. Urd burst into laughter. Perhaps it was simply the days events finally catching up to her; the stress of Skuld finding a demon's blade in her room, her sister's agitation towards her over the fact that said blade was still in possession, the loss of some very precious items. It seemed that the poor Mara and the shot glass was the last straw.

The platinum-haired woman's laughter rose in intensity, and Urd doubled over, clutching her sides, her shoulders shaking softly. Mara watched in stupefied curiosity, brushing the glass from her hair before feeling a chuckle of her own emerge from her throat.

Deciding to throw caution to the wind, the demon joined her childhood friend in her fit of laughter, the two seeming to feed off the nervous energy the other was giving off and causing them to laugh all the more harder. The various people passing the building that night would later claim to have heard the crazed laughter of a serial killer, or perhaps the echoing voice of a woman who had jumped to her death from the top of the unfinished skyscraper.

That, coupled with the crater Urd and Mara had created, as well as the indentation on Mara's beam, would eventually lead to various superstitions about the building, to the point where the construction workers hired to build it would refuse to go within a one hundred foot perimeter of the building.

Thanks to the goddess and the demon, the poor building would never be finished, and it would remain abandoned save for the occasional visit of a young boy who would clime to the top of the tower occasionally, loosing himself in memories of the foreign girl who had first brought him there.

But that was neither here nor there. Slowly, both Urd and Mara calmed down, their obnoxious roars of laughter dieing down into chuckles and giggles. And soon even that faded, as the duo slowly reclaimed whatever sanity that had left them in their small fit of hysteria.

Urd looked over at her childhood friend, her mood having lightened exponentially after her bought of laughter. "Crap…when was the last time we had a laugh like that together?" She asked, smiling widely at her friend as she leaned back, her hands propping her up behind her.

A snicker escaped Mara's throat, and she returned Urd's smile with a fanged one of her own. She sat somewhat haunched over, legs crossed comfortably and her hands resting in her lap. "Too long, if you ask me."

Urd nodded her head. "Kind of reminds me of the first time we met, you know?" She asked, her smile turning sly as she regarded Mara with a pair of mischievous violet eyes.

Mara snorted, shaking her head. "In what way? Do you mean how you snuck up behind me and scared the crap out of me, leading the two of us into a fight? Or how you lead that herd of bicorns into a room filled with Angel Slayers and Valkyries that were trying to play nice?"

Urd's only response was a larger smile. "We got into a fight then too, didn't we?" She asked, moving to stand with an exaggerated moan before stretching her arms over her head. "Come on. Let's head back to the top of the tower. I left my stuff up there."

Mara raised an eyebrow before following her friend's lead. "Does that mean you have a spare shot glass?"

Urd laughed. "Mara, if there's one thing I've learned it's that, when it comes to you, I keep a spare of everything." The demon across from her scowled, but let the matter drop.

"Then what are we doing down here? We can't get piss drunk if we don't have any alcohol." The demon casually levitated upwards, looking down at the goddess with a fanged grin.

Urd returned the smile, before following after Mara.

The two spent the rest of the night recalling their shared childhood, drinking to a past that might, or might not have, been better left undisturbed.

~*~

A/N: Alright, for the moment, you can consider this story complete. I'll probably throw up another chapter later on the day after, but that won't come until after I have the first chapter of 'Origins' up. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed this chapter, as, for the moment, it'll be the last one you see for a while, most likely. Remember, all the way back in the first chapter where I mentioned this whole thing was originally supposed to be one chapter? Yeah…that's one of the reasons I think I was able to update Angel Biter as a whole so frequently. As it is, I haven't yet started on it's second half, so once again, don't expect an update or anything like that real soon. Until next time.


	5. Upon Awakening

She was dieing. As the world around her slowly invaded her senses, the only thought on Urd's mind was that she was, in fact, dieing. Maybe it was the deep thumping assaulting her brain deep in her skull, like someone had taken a collage football team and thrown them in her brain during a practice session. Or perhaps it was that cursed, god-awful racket that sounded like a pack or wolves snarling and snapping at one another near her ear.

Whatever it was, she just wanted it all to _stop_, if only for a brief second. With a pained groan, the woman slowly sat up, clutching her head in agony as the world spun nauseatingly in front of her. Urd clamped her eyes shut, taking deep breaths as she waited for her surroundings to stop spinning. As the dizziness passed, the woman cracked one blood-shot violet eye open. And just where the hell was she, anyways?

Wherever she was, it would have to wait. There were more pressing matters at hand. Like finding the source of that roar and eliminating it from the world before it could cause anyone else any pain.

Blinking painfully, the goddess looked around the room, slowly registering her surroundings as she sought out the source of her pain. She was in a room of some kind, the walls a little _too_ white for the hangover-induced woman's appeal, and she was sitting on what appeared to be someone's old couch.

The roar was coming from behind her, and Urd painstakingly turned towards it. Mara was on the other end of the couch, propped up in what appeared to be a rather uncomfortable position. Her head was buried under a mountain of pillows of various shapes and sizes, as though someone had decided to try and muffle the demon's snores at some point during the night.

As though to answer Urd's unspoken question of _who_had done the burying, the platinum-haired woman became dimly aware of World of Elegance exiting her back, looking more then a little haggard as the angel floated off into one of the adjacent rooms, returning with a large brown pillow that she then piled on top of the already large pile on Mara's head. The angel then turned to look at her mistress with a grimace when the sound of snoring didn't fade, before discontentedly returning to her place within Urd.

Urd blinked dazedly. "Guess that answers _that_question." She muttered, her voice harsh and grating even to her own ears. Groaning, the Norn slowly made to stand, clutching her head once more as pain racked her skull. "Bag…need bag…" She moaned, her eyes landing on the object in question from where it rested on a small table.

The goddess stumbled towards it, each step feeling as though someone was taking a pickaxe to her brain. Though the small table with her possessions on it was only a few feet away, Urd felt like collapsing by the time she reached it, the small bag resting next to the now near-empty bottle of whiskey and two empty shot glasses.

The woman ignored the items that had thrown her into her current state of anguish, instead grabbing her bag and rummaging around inside, pausing only to take several deep breaths as a wave of nausea threatened to overtake her.

_Never again._ _I swear this is the last time I drink myself into a stupor, I swear it._ She thought.

Famous last words.

Finally, the woman pulled out what she'd been seeking, flashing a victorious smile that quickly faded as the miniature Hilds in her skull decided it'd be fun to restart their heavy metal band once more. With a groan, Urd sunk to her knees, resting her head against the cool surface of the old metal table and feeling the pounding in her skull abate by a fraction of an itch.

With a pained grunt, the goddess set the two items she'd retrieved down in front of her, staring at the small vial of liquid and the two small tablets with something like relief. _Thank the Almighty I had the foresight to bring these along with me._ She thought, picking her head up from the cool metal it rested upon and unplugging the small vial.

The Norn brought the vial to her lips, taking a deep sip from it before slamming the vial down on the table, swallowing the liquid and choking back a gag as the horrendous aftertaste assaulted her senses. Without pause, Urd quickly grabbed one of the two star shaped tablets, popping the small pill into her mouth and swallowing it whole.

The woman shuddered, a partial side affect that Urd had never really been able to get rid of in her hangover medication. Not as good as her step-mother's, but still pretty damned good, in her opinion. It beat the hell out of trying to ride it out, that was for sure. Already she could feel the potion starting to take affect, and with a grateful sigh, Urd rested her head once more on the table top.

As Urd waited for the pain and nausea to fully fade away, she became aware of a silence that hadn't been in the room before. Violet eyes trailed dully over to the couch, where the mountain of pillows was slowly toppling over. Looked like Mara was waking up.

Urd watched as pillows tumbled end over end, scattering off the couch and onto the floor as Mara slowly unburied herself from the makeshift grave World of Elegance had sought to make for her. Bloodshot red eyes met a matching pair of bloodshot violet ones, and Urd weakly rose a hand in greeting, before letting it plop to her side unenthusiastically.

Mara blinked tiredly at Urd, but otherwise said nothing, perhaps, like Urd, in too much pain to bring forth the effort required to use vocal cords. In fact, if the way she simply allowed herself to fall off the couch was any indication, the hangover ridden demon didn't have much energy for anything at the moment.

Holding her silence-she knew how even the smallest of noises seemed to come out like a screech from a megaphone-Urd grabbed the opened vial once more, catching the nauseous demon's eye and waving the small bottle back and forth invitingly. Mara eyed it with a lackluster expression for a brief moment, before her mind trudgingly wrapped itself around just what it was she was looking at. A glimmer of recognition appeared in her red eyes, and with a groan, the demon moved to her hands and knees, slowly crawling her way to Urd's side.

Taking pity on her companion, Urd grabbed the small tablet that went with the hangover remedy and met her friend half way between the couch and the table. Handing the woman the vial, Urd watched as the demon gave her a grateful smile before downing what remained of the liquid in the vial. The violet eyed woman smirked as Mara's face scrunched up in disgust, before handing over the pill, which, like Urd herself, Mara swallowed without a second thought.

Several minutes of silence passed as the duo waited for Urd's hangover remedy to kick in and dispel the pain and nausea. Urd, who's hangover had, for the most part, disappeared, watched as a small bit of color returned to Mara's pale face, a sure indication that the demon was, like her, starting to feel better.

The blonde woman sighed, picking herself up and walking over to the couch, plopping down into it with a small, curious glance to the various pillows scattered around it. She shrugged, before looking over at Urd, who, with a stretch, stood and moved to join her old friend.

Mara rubbed her temples with fingerless gloved hands. "Thanks for the potion." She muttered, her voice rough, harsher then usual after their night of drinking.

Next to her, Urd nodded, leaning back against the couch with a sigh and resting her head against the top of the sofa. She stared up at the ceiling blankly. "No prob. Where are we, anyways?" She asked, her own voice scratchy, but not nearly as rough as Mara's.

The demon shrugged half-heartedly. "Someone's house, I think." She muttered. "Think the family's out on vacation or something. Won't be back 'till we're long gone." She turned her head to the side slightly, staring at the incredulous look on Urd's face with a frown. "What?"

Urd blinked at her before shaking her head. "How do you find all these abandoned places? It's like you have a built in radar for them or something."

Another half-hearted shrug. "It's a gift, I guess." The demon yawned, revealing overly elongated canines before looking, once more, at the goddess. "What happened last night? The last thing I remember is the two of us ditching that building we were on after one-too-many times of us falling off the beams for something a little more stable under our feet."

Urd nodded her head slowly, her mind slowly floating back to the events of last night and sluggishly recalling what happened. "That's right…Something about us making craters around the building or something. Then you brought us here, and…" The woman trailed off as her mind went blank, her brain incapable of supplying the needed memories.

As it was, there was really little to recall. The two hadn't even bothered exploring the rest of the house when they had arrived, content to simply seat themselves on the couch with the bottle of whiskey in front of them and see who could pass out first. Ironically, it had been World of Elegance, of all people, who had one that match, as both demon and goddess had passed out at roughly the same time. Which lead to Mara's snoring. Which, in turn, lead to the angel leaving the warmth of Urd's form in favor of finding a way to shut the demon up.

A lot of good that had done.

Speaking of which…Urd grimaced as she recalled the words to Belldandy the night before. "Damn, that's right. I told Belldandy I was going to do something with Skuld today."

Her head clearer then when she'd first awoken on the couch, Urd moved to her feet, ignoring Mara's questioning glance. Walking over to the small table once more, she grabbed her bag, quickly filling it with the near-empty bottle of whiskey, the two shot glasses that had lain next to it, and the now empty vial that had held half of her hangover remedy. Glancing over her shoulder at Mara, the Norn grinned. "Sorry Mara, but as much as I'd like to hang around someone's house all day and chat with you, I've got some plans I need to follow through on."

Mara shrugged, crossing her hands over her chest and leaning back into the couch. "Yeah, yeah. Spare me the excuses. We've already been here longer then necessary, and I have my own things I need to do. The last thing I need is to get in trouble with Hild when she returns from…where ever she's disappeared to."

Urd grinned. "Have fun."

"I'll tell Hild you said 'Hi'."

"Bite me, Mara."

Mara bared her teeth at the goddess, as though reminding Urd that she did, in fact, have the fangs with which to bite, and causing the Norn to roll her eyes.

Hefting the bag back onto her shoulders, the goddess looked over at her companion once more. "This place has a t.v., right?"

It was Mara's turn to roll her eyes. "First room to your left in the hallway." She said, watching as Urd flashed her a toothy grin before exiting the room, no doubt deciding to return home in a less time consuming fashion. As the door slid shut behind Urd, Mara lazily stretched, yawning once more and silently thanking the infernal realms for Urd's skill with potions. She certainly felt a hell of a lot better after the hangover remedy. "Guess I should head out as well. I don't want those rats leading a revolt against me because of Senbei. That little bastard would simply _love_ the misfortune that would result from an incident like that."

Standing up, the fanged woman sent one last glance around the room before shrugging and disappearing. The residents of the household would return later that week to find the various pillows scattered around the couch and the room smelling of alcohol. And, while none of the other rooms had been touched and nothing had been stolen, they still contacted the police, giving a rather unconvincing story of what the family thought had happened. The officers called in to investigate would take a look around the room, scratch their heads, and simply decide that the family in question had had a few too many to drink that night. The investigation would quickly drop afterwards.

~*~

In the Morisato residence, Belldandy was in the middle of making breakfast when she felt the small wave of kinetic energy that she always associated with Urd briefly touch her mind. Pausing from the vegetables she was cutting, she smiled as the sister in question entered the kitchen, looking somewhat disheveled, but otherwise no worse for wear.

"Urd! Welcome home. I take it you had a nice night out?" She asked cheerfully, watching as Urd returned her smile with a somewhat tired one of her own before leaning up against a wall. Belldandy returned to her cooking, picking up her knife once more and slicing into the vegetables before her.

Behind her, the blue-eyed woman heard her sister's response. "It was alright." Urd said, shrugging slightly before recalling that Belldandy didn't have eyes in the back of her head. No matter what the rumors in heaven said. But, moving on… "So, anything of interest happen while I was out? It doesn't look like Skuld's woken up yet."

Belldandy shook her head, setting her knife down and moving to dump the now-cut veggies into a pot. "No, no. Nothing of utter importance happened after you left, and Skuld is still resting in her room." She said, grabbing the pot and moving it to the stove. "Keiichi is in his room. I believe he's working on the blueprints of a new motorcycle, and I've moved poor Banpei and Sigel inside where they won't suffer anymore damage until Skuld has a chance to recover and care for them."

She turned on one of the burners on the stove, then looked over at Urd. "Why do you ask? Are you having second thoughts on taking Skuld out? Because there's still enough time for me to make her some ice cream if you want."

Urd scowled half-heartedly, shaking her head. _Nice to know you have so much faith in me in concerns to Skuld, Bell._She thought sarcastically. Aloud she said, "Nah, save the ice cream for another time, Sis. I just wanted to know how much time I have to change before Skuld wakes up screeching like a banshee."

Belldandy's eyes widened somewhat in guilt. "Oh, I'm sorry Urd. It's just that…" She trailed off as Urd waved her off. "Relax, it's no problem. I get what you meant." The silver-haired woman sent her sibling a reassuring smile, which was returned with a somewhat relieved one on Belldandy's part.

"Anyway, if Skuld is still snoozing, I'm going to head into my room and freshen up. If I'm going to spend the day raiding various ice cream parlors, I'd rather do it without Skuld glaring at me half the time because I smell like alcohol." Belldandy giggled at the comment, and Urd rolled her eyes, turning away and heading into the hallway, leaving Belldandy, once more, to her cooking.

~*~

"What a day." Welsper muttered to herself, trotting on top of the outer wall that surrounded the yard of the Morisato residence, her tail strung high like a banner. "I don't think I've ever been so happy to be home." The reincarnated demon paused, sitting down on the fence for a moment of self-conscious grooming.

Welsper had been conspicuously absent from the shrine since early yesterday morning, having heard a female cat from one of the neighboring buildings crying for some companionship. Forgetting that 'he' was now a 'she', Welsper had left to answer the call, only to be _screamed_at by the cat in question-a pretty little short-hair with a calico's coat-and have her run off, leaving a somewhat confused Welsper in her dust.

And it had been around _that_ time, ironically, that a rather large tom cat with a golden coat reminiscent of _Garfield_ appeared. Things had only gone from mildly annoying to flat out _wrong_from there, when the tomcat had mistaken poor Welsper for the female cat that had recently departed and had…how to put it…made a pass at the poor cursed demon.

Welsper had refused the dumb beast's advances, but it seemed that the tomcat was nothing, if not persistent. The demon had been chased through town all day, and a good portion of the night following, before the male-turned-female recalled that, while cursed, she was not helpless, and that she still retained a few of her former abilities as a demon. Upon that realization, Welsper had quickly taken it upon herself to call out Blue Lance.

The tomcat had taken one look at the purified devil and bolted. Welsper had never been so happy to have taken the poor devil in as her own. Even now, sitting on top of the small wall surrounding the courtyard, Welsper could still hear Lance's laughter echoing in the back of her mind, an odd mixture of grating metal mixing with the song of bells.

_You sound like you rather enjoyed scaring that cat, Blue Lance. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you still have bit of a bad side to you._ The laughter died down in her mind, replaced with a soft cooing noise, as though the angelic devil was trying to deny Welsper's words.

The cat snorted, leaping down from the wall and into the courtyard below, taking note of the odd residual magic that permeated the shrine. How strange. Had Skuld been practicing with Belldandy or something? With a mental shrug, the black cat moved on, entering the house by means of Blue Lance who, at her demon's call, easily slid open the door, a task that would have been near impossible for the cat without help.

The door shutting behind them with a click, Blue Lance disappeared once more into her host's body, and Welsper strolled through the house, making her way to the kitchen in the hopes of begging scraps off of Belldandy. Being chased every which way by a love-struck tomcat was a tiring activity, after all.

Something, however, made the sentient cat pause in her journey to the kitchen. Something was wrong. Raising her head upwards and inhaling deeply, Welsper felt her fur bristle. Something was _very_ wrong. "This scent…" She murmured, her mind racing as her brain fought to recall just _what_ it was she was smelling.

"Impossible…" She hissed, her fur puffing out and causing the reincarnated demon to look twice as large as she normally was. "An Angel Slayer? _Here?_"

She hadn't really caught scent of any other demons in the surrounding area, however, the Angel Biter had left it's mark inside the household, and was easily recognized as, if nothing else, a weapon of an Angel Slayer. And Welsper had never known anyone other then a Slayer to hold such weapons. In fact, if he-_she_ recalled correctly, it was supposed to be illegal for anyone _but_ a Slayer to hold a weapon such as the weapon she was sensing.

A small ball of anxiety uncurled in her belly, and the cat's eyes darted in various directions. What could an Angel Slayer be doing in a house full of goddesses? Why hadn't the shrine become a battlefield yet? Surely the Slayer in question would have gone mad in a house holding three angels. Had Hild sent one from Niflheim? Had she crossed another line with Hild that would _warrant_ the use of a Slayer?

Welsper could feel Blue Lance stirring restlessly in the back of her mind, the familiar growing more and more uncomfortable with the direction Welsper's thoughts were going. The demon-turned-cat sent a mental command that quieted the devil, and Welsper quickly bolted into the hallway.

She needed to warn the others. But who? She didn't want to scare Belldandy any more then necessary, so she was out of the question. She doubted Skuld was old enough to even know what an Angel Slayer _was_, let alone the dangers of one a Goddesses territory. Urd would probably be a good idea, but Welsper quickly shook it off. The presence was especially strong around Urd's room as the little demon darted by, and she wasn't going to risk Blue Lance if the Slayer had already struck.

Which left one person.

Sending a quick strand of magic to the door of Keiichi's room, the door slid open with more force then was necessary, startling the inhabitant inside. Keiichi looked up from where he sat in the middle of his room, a book balanced on one leg and a clipboard holding a paper with various formulas and equations scribbled across its surface. The young man blinked at the intruder, eyeing the cat in curiosity. "Uh…hey Welsper. Is something wrong? You look like you had a run in with a dog or something."

"No actually, it was a cat." Welsper corrected, briefly recalling the stupid tom once more. She shook herself. "Gah! What am I saying? I don't have time for this! Keiichi, move your ass! Belldandy's in danger!" She shouted, mentally berating herself for the small lapse in concentration. The demon blamed her new body. Had she been in her original form, such a thing would have never happened.

Keiichi scampered to his feet, the project he was working on scattering to the floor as he rose. "Belldandy's in trouble?" He asked, his voice thick with worry. "What is it? What's going on?"

Welsper didn't respond, instead turning and racing out the door. The dark-haired man swore. "Damn it Welsper, what's going on!?" He shouted, chasing after the cat and following her down the hall. _Great._ He thought to himself. _First Skuld, then that stupid knife of Urd's, now this._ _What next, another 'surprise' visit from Peorth and Lind? How about another one of Hild's monsters showing up on our doorstep?_The collage student seemed to be somewhat frustrated with the various events occurring in his home. Perhaps he was irritated with the fact that so many things seemed to be happening at once and that through it all, Keiichi could only hang on for the ride.

The two arrived in the kitchen just as Belldandy was turning off the stove. Turning at the sound of pounding feet, the goddess smiled in greetings at Keiichi and Welsper. With a yowl, Welsper leaped for Belldandy, and the woman opened her arms, easily catching the black cat. Gently shifting the demon into a more comfortable position, Belldandy began stroking the cat, regarding Keiichi with cheerful blue eyes.

"Hello Keiichi. You've come just in time. Breakfast is almost ready." She looked down to the cat in her arms, apparently unconcerned with Welsper's current state of being. "Would you like to join us, Welsper? I can get a small bowl for you, if you want."

"Bell-" Keiichi began, only to be interrupted by Welsper, who, rather unnerved by how calm the Norn was, all but screamed, "Damn it woman, how can you be so calm? Don't you know death is upon us!?"

The cat sank her claws into Belldandy's arm, and Keiichi was sure that, had she not been a goddess, the claws would have easily drawn blood. It was an instinctive reaction, brought on by the fear and panic that was no doubt being held back by pure force of will on Welsper's part.

For Belldandy's part, the goddess merely tilted her head to the side in curiosity, looking from Welsper to Keiichi in confusion. She hadn't even flinched when Welsper had sunk her claws in to her skin, merely continuing to stoke the cat calmly, smoothing down bristled fur and a long tail that looked distinctly like a bottle brush. "Death?"

The black cat stared up at her in disbelief, her tail whipping from side to side a mile a minute. "Yes, death! Can you not sense it? There is an Angel Slayer in the premises! I can smell his weapon!"

"Oh. So that's what this is all about." Keiichi relaxed, feeling the tension ease away from him now that he finally had an idea as to what, exactly, was going on. "I guess you really weren't here yesterday, were you, Welsper?"

The cat glared at him, fur bristling once more in Belldandy's arms. The woman continued to pet her, and gradually, the cat calmed down. "What's with that attitude, human? What does my being absent from the house for one day have to do with anything?" Welsper hissed, her ears flattening against her skull angrily.

Keiichi grimaced at the hostile tone, raising his hands in a gesture of peace. "Wow, wow, calm down, Welsper. You can relax. We aren't in any danger." He said, looking to Belldandy for help.

Belldandy sent the young man a reassuring smile, looking down at Welsper who stared back with wide, golden eyes. "Keiichi is correct, Welsper. The weapon you are sensing is in Urd's possession. There is no Angel Slayer here."

Her words seemed to have the desired affect, as that, combined with the soothing tone in which she spoke, further calmed the reincarnated demon. Welsper's claws drew back into her paws, and the cat relaxed in Belldandy's arms, her fur once more taking on its smooth appearance.

Sensing her small companion's change in disposition, Belldandy smiled affectionately at the animal before setting Welsper down. "You do not need to worry. Urd has been in possession of the Angel Biter for a good many years. It was only yesterday that she took off the spell that hid its presence from others. I'm sorry if she scared you."

_Well, I suppose that explains one or two things. Like why the scent was especially strong coming from Urd's room. _Welsper thought. _And I suppose it makes sense, in a way. She is the Daimakaicho's daughter, after all._

And it was around this time that the woman in question decided to make herself known, walking into the kitchen in a pair of slacks and a white blouse. "Jeeze you people are loud." She said, staring at the trio with a look of mild annoyance. "What's going on _this_ time?"

Welsper felt her fur bristle once more at the Norn's appearance. The woman _reeked_of the weapon Belldandy had mentioned not even one minute ago. Suddenly finding herself overwhelmed by the residual essence of the Angel Biter that seemed to cling to Urd's form like glue, Welsper _screeched_at the goddess before bolting past Urd and down the hallway, apparently intent on putting as much distance between Urd and herself as possible.

At the cat's scream, those present winced and covered their ears, Urd snarling a curse at the cat as she ran between her legs. "Blasted cat! What's her problem?" Urd growled out, her ears ringing somewhat from the sheer pitch of the animal's scream.

"Angel Biter…" Keiichi grumbled, sticking a pinkie in his ear and clearing the ear canal of earwax, perhaps hoping to regain his hearing after Welsper's departure.

"She did seem rather upset, didn't she?" Asked Belldandy, the only one who didn't seem to suffer any ill affects from the incident.

Urd cursed once more, grimacing as she turned to glare off in the direction Welsper had disappeared in. "Damn. I forgot about that. Bet she thought Blue Lance was in danger or something." The woman shook her head with a sigh, turning to give both Keiichi and Belldandy an apologetic smile. "I seem to be rather forgetful as of late." She said, referring to Belldandy's reintroduction to the weapon in question as well as the incident that had just occurred with Welsper.

"Sorry Bell, but with a demon in the house as well, I'm going to have to go back to cloaking the Angel Biter. The last thing any of us needs is word getting out that a Norn has a Slayer's weapon."

Belldandy nodded, though it seemed somewhat regretful, in Keiichi's eyes. "It's alright, Urd. I understand." She smiled reassuringly to her older sister. "You go ahead and take care of the Angel Biter." She looked over at Keiichi, who stood somewhat uncomfortably off to the side, away from the two siblings. "Keiichi? How about we get you breakfast? I'm sure you're hungry by now."

"Ah, sure…I am kind of hungry, now that you mention it…"

At the change in subject, Urd grinned before turning and exiting the kitchen, returning to her room, her mind already going over which spells she'd originally used to seal the old blade's aura from those around her.

~*~

Skuld let out a small whine of annoyance as Welsper's shriek echoed throughout the shrine, the young girl's brows furrowing together discontentedly. She'd been on the edge of awakening for several minutes now, struggling with all her might to remain in the realms of sleep for _just_ a little while longer.

However, it seemed the battle had already been decided, as with Welsper's scream, as well as the shouts and curses that accompanied it, Skuld found herself pulled rather unwillingly back to the lands of the waking. Slowly, the young Norn pried open one tired brown eye, focusing on one of the many shelves that lined her room with a frown. And she'd been in the middle of such a nice dream, too…

As she tried vainly to recall the last instances of her dream-she could recall that she'd been an adult in the dream, but not much else beyond that-Skuld became aware of two things.

One, was that she was so hungry she felt like eating a bathtub full of ice cream-maybe, if she was lucky, there'd be some leftover ice cream in the fridge. Though she somehow doubted it.

Two, were the memories of yesterday that her mind had temporarily blocked off. And as the unwanted images slowly creped through her mind, Skuld bolted into an upright position, any feeling of exhaustion or hunger suddenly absent. Brown eyes wide, Skuld looked at the various surroundings around her, perhaps realizing for the first time that she was in _her_ room, and not Urd's.

Taking in the familiar images of machinery and tools that surrounded her, the dark-haired girl sighed, taking comfort in the equipments presence. Closing her eyes, the girl frowned, drawing her blanket-ridden legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around her knees. When had she returned to her room? And Urd…or was it that woman?

Skuld's frown deepened, and with a frustrated moan, the child shook her head. She didn't know what to think at the moment. Except…

Brown eyes shot open, widening in fear. "Noble Scarlet!" She cried, recalling the 'fate' that had befallen her other half in the nightmarish vision. Now that she thought about it, in fact, Nobel Scarlet had been unusually quiet upon Skuld's awakening, the soft murmur reminiscent of a flowing brook conspicuously absent from its place in the back of her mind.

A bubble of panic swelling in her gut, Skuld quickly sent a mental command to bring the red-eyed angel forth, a small part of her afraid that she wouldn't get a response from her other half.

However, that small part of her appeared to be wrong, as the Norn felt the gradual warmth of Noble Scarlet exiting her back, Skuld's small frame bathed in the shadow of the angel's wings. The young girl smiled in relief, turning and looking up at her other half. The smiled disappeared.

Noble Scarlet hovered over Skuld, her expression reserved as the blonde angel stared down at her goddess. Red eyes, once full of the innocence and trust of a child, were now guarded and watchful. An odd discoloration had appeared on her chest, and Skuld would have mistaken the marking for a scar had it not been for the fact that the majority of the discoloration was located on the wrap that covered Noble Scarlet's torso. It was in the same area the woman had buried her blade into her angel's chest.

Skuld's breathing hitched a notch, and the young Norn's eyes widened. The child leaped to her feet, ignoring the blankets that tangled at her feet. Noble Scarlet, perhaps sensing her mistress's distress, disappeared once more into Skuld's body. As her angel returned to her place within her, Skuld kicked the blankets off her feet and bolted to the door, sliding it open and speeding down the hall.

Her heart racing, Skuld ran into the tea room, relieved to find Belldandy inside with Keiichi. The two were in the middle of breakfast, conversing over something that Skuld, at that moment, couldn't have cared less about. They paused in their conversation to look up at her as she entered, and it was only through a strand of willpower Skuld didn't realize she had that the child didn't break down right then and there.

However, Belldandy seemed to sense what was wrong, and as she spread her arms open, Skuld felt what little will holding back her anxiety break, and the girl all but fell into her sister's waiting arms. Belldandy wrapped her arms around her younger sister, cooing softly and murmuring softly in the child's ear. Skuld choked back a sob, her fists curling into fists full of Belldandy's shirt, unconsciously mimicking her actions from yesterday.

From where he sat, Keiichi silently stood, picking up various bowls and plates from where they rested on the table. As Belldandy's eyes drifted towards his, he sent her a reassuring smile before slowly moving to the door, recognizing a private moment between the two siblings and knowing that his presence was not desired-by at least one of the two sisters.

Catching his eye as he turned to shut the door, Belldandy sent the young man a smile that seemed to be one part apology, one part regret, and one part gratitude. Keiichi returned it with a soft smile and nod of his own, before sliding the door shut and leaving the two Norns with some semblance of privacy.

"It…it's not right…" Her face buried in her sister's shirt, Belldandy almost didn't hear Skuld's words, and the older woman paused in her comforting to stare down at her sister's dark head.

Sensing her older sister's questioning gaze, Skuld looked up, her eyes watery with tears that threatened to break free at any moment. "It was only a vision-a nightmare, or, or _something_. It wasn't real. I-I know that, but…" The girl trailed off, and Belldandy drew her close once more. Resting her chin on top of Skuld's head, the woman began to hum, recalling a tune she'd learned as a child and letting the melody flow through her. She couldn't quite recall who she'd learned it from, though if she had to guess, she'd say she'd learned it from her mother or her old mentor, Celestine. It was a soothing tune, a song meant to comfort, and as she hummed, she could feel Skuld calm underneath her.

Soon the room was silent of all but Belldandy's hum, until even that faded, leaving the two Norns is a comforting silence. Skuld sighed against Belldandy, before pulling away from her sister. Belldandy didn't stop her, and Skuld adjusted her position, moving to sit across from her older sister rather then in the brown-haired woman's lap.

Looking somewhat withdrawn, Skuld stared down at her hands from where they rested in her lap, a small part of her embarrassed over how childish she was acting. She shoved the bit to the farthest reaches of her mind. "I-I'm sorry about that, Belldandy…" Skuld murmured, her hands clenching into fists for a brief second before relaxing once more. "I-it's just that…" The child bit her lip, trailing off once more before hesitantly looking up at her older sister.

Belldandy gazed back, her expression gentle and filled with an understanding that would have baffled most people. "It's alright Skuld." She soothed, reaching over and grasping her younger sister's hands with her own. "You do not need to force yourself to explain if it hurts so much." She gently squeezed Skuld's hands, and a little more of the fear and anxiety that was nestled inside Skuld's chest eased away. "When the pain had ebbed, and you still wish to speak of it with me, then we may discuss it together." Releasing Skuld's hands, Belldandy reached over and gently kissed her sister's forehead, before drawing away with a gentle smile.

"As it is, I'm sure you're rather hungry at the moment, Little Sister." Belldandy said, changing the subject with the ease of one who spent many a year dodging questions she didn't want to answer. As though sensing the change in topic, Skuld's stomach took that moment to make itself known, grumbling with discontent and demanding the sugary goodness of ice cream.

Skuld blushed at the rumbling, her hands moving to clutch her stomach as though silently ordering it to behave itself. It quieted once more, and Skuld looked up at Belldandy hopefully. "Does that mean you made ice cream for me?" She asked, her mood brightening somewhat at the prospect of the sugary sweet.

The smile didn't leave Belldandy's face, but the woman shook her head none the less. "No. Sadly, I didn't make you ice cream." Skuld's expression fell. "However, Urd mentioned something about taking you out for the day." For a brief second, Skuld was almost sure that Belldandy's smile had a hint of mischief in it. "Perhaps you can convince her to go to your favorite ice cream parlor while you're out."

Skuld blinked, her dark brows furrowing together in confusion. "What? Why would Urd want to take me out for the day?" She asked, disbelief in her voice.

Belldandy's expression gave nothing away. "You'll have to ask Urd that. Speaking of which, I think we should inform her that you're awake." Belldandy moved to her feet, offering Skuld a hand up. After a moment's hesitation, Skuld took the offered hand, and the brown-haired woman pulled the younger girl to her feet.

Together, the two younger Norns exited the tea room, making their way to inform the oldest of the trio on the latest events.

~*~

A/N: This chapter is more of a filler rather then anything else. Hopefully the next chapter will actually get the plot moving. Also, as an explanation to Welsper's behavior: I live in a small apartment with my dad, younger sister, and three cats. Just recently, my mother passed away, and we found ourselves adopting her old cat, making the three into four. None of the original three like poor Banu, especially our golden boy, Bishounen. In fact, when we first introduced Banu to the others, Bishi took one look at him and, quite literally, _screamed_.

Cats have loud voices when they want to. And I've found myself tempted more then once to strangle whichever cat so much as meows at me. So in a sense, I think part of Welsper's attitude in the chapter was me venting, at least a little. The two cats he had a run in with are based off of my own, the little Calico being Mama Girl, and the _Garfield _look-a-like being Bishounen.

So, yeah. Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I have no idea what will be updated next, as I've suddenly found myself buried up to my neck in the paperwork that is required to join the airforce. Wish me luck, and hopefully I'll have another chapter up and ready soon.


	6. Angels and Ice Cream

"Urd, can you come out here when you get the chance? Skuld is awake." Belldandy said, knocking gently underneath the sign _Urd's Castle_. Beside her, Skuld fidgeted uneasily, as though suddenly unsure on whether or not she wanted to see her older sister. After all, she _had _snuck into Urd's room and been messing around with a lot of stuff. Urd was probably going over a bunch of different ways to punish her. The thought made her cringe.

As though sensing her unease, Belldandy rested a hand on one of Skuld's shoulders, sending Skuld a reassuring smile as Skuld looked up at her. Skuld returned it with a strained smile, before looking back at the door. From inside, a muffled 'be out in a second' was heard, followed by a 'thump' and the sound of something rustling from inside. A second later, the door slid open, and Urd stood before the two, the broom Stringfellow resting propped up on her shoulder.

The woman's violet eyes seemed to light up as they drifted to Skuld, and the child cringed.

"_Come Little Valkyrie. Let me taste the blood of your angel."_

Skuld gasped at the unbidden image of The Woman briefly replaced Urd, and the young girl quickly moved behind Belldandy, placing the Norn of the Present in between herself and Urd. The two elder siblings frowned at Skuld's action, some hidden message passing between the two as concerned blue eyes met troubled violet.

Then Urd smirked, moving a strand of silver hair behind her ear and taking up an arrogant stance. "Oh? And what's this? If I didn't know any better, I'd say that Little Skuld is afraid of something." The bronze skinned woman put extra emphasis on the word 'little', and whatever strange anxiety that had suddenly gripped Skuld was suddenly destroyed as the younger girl glared up at her, an irritated pout replacing the fearful gaze.

"Don't call me little!" Skuld cried out, moving from behind Belldandy to stand in front of Urd, crossing her arms over her chest with a huff. "And I'm not afraid of anything, Urd." She flashed the older Norn an overly confident smile. "You must be getting delusional in your old age."

An eyebrow twitched ever so slightly at the taunt, and as Urd was about to respond, Belldandy cleared her throat, gaining her sisters' attention. The two paused in their battle-to-be, and upon seeing the expression on Belldandy's face, quickly grew quiet. "Please, let's not have a fight just after I repaired the house last night." Her smile held an edge to it that only those closest to her recognized, and Urd and Skuld quickly found themselves nodding in agreement.

"After all, you both have things to do today, am I correct?"

The words enticed a somewhat nervous laugh from Urd, and the woman scratched the back of her head uncomfortably. "Ah…heh, you know what? Belldandy's absolutely right." She looked down at Skuld with false cheer. "Well? You heard her. Go get changed. We're going out for the day."

Skuld hesitated, the confident stance she'd moved into during her swift exchange of words with Urd fading. She cast a suspicious look Urd's way, before looking up at Belldandy, unsure as to whether or not she should follow Urd's orders.

The edge fell from Belldandy's smile, and the brown haired woman nodded. "Go on Skuld. I'm sure that, whatever it is the two of you will be doing, it will be more entertaining the staying cooped up here all day." She placed a reassuring hand to the small of Skuld's back, gently guiding the younger girl into the direction of Skuld's room.

The young Norn hesitated for a brief moment, before nodding reluctantly and venturing down the hallway and into her room, disappearing from sight. The two older siblings watched her go, before Belldandy turned once more to Urd. "And before I forget…"

Belldandy reached into the folds of her dress, her hands dipping into her pockets and withdrawing several small items. Urd tipped her head to one side, staring on in curiosity as the blue eyed woman offered two curled fists to her. "I believe these belong to you. I thought it would be a good idea to return them." The fists uncurled, revealing several fangs that glinted dully where the light struck them.

Urd's eyes lit up as she stared at the small items she'd thought to have lost, and a grateful smile formed on her face as she gently took the various pieces from her sister's hands. Carefully pocketing the teeth in such a manner that the canines wouldn't dig into her flesh when she walked or sat, Urd said, "Thanks, Bell. I didn't think I'd ever see these things again. I'll stow them away properly when I get back with Skuld."

Belldandy nodded, bangs lightly bouncing against her head. "Do you mind if I ask what it is you plan on doing with Skuld today? I know there's more to this little outing of yours then simply treating her for ice cream." The goddess folded her hands behind her back, tipping her head to one side in curiosity.

Urd nodded. Belldandy was sharper then she gave her credit for. Stepping into the hallway and closing the door to her room behind her, Urd leaned against it, planting her free hand on her hip and shifting her grip on Stringfellow to where his 'neck' was, effectively silencing the broom and preventing it from interrupting them. And there was little doubt in Urd's mind that the blasted thing would do just that, given half the chance.

"Well, I plan on taking her to as many ice cream parlors as it takes to end her hunger. I also want to see if I can't get her to talk about what happened to her with the Angel Biter. See if I can't get an explanation or something out of her."

"Will you tell her where it came from, if she asks?"

Urd shrugged. "If it gets her to talk, then yes."

Belldandy's cerulean eyes became inquiring. "And what of Noble Scarlet?"

Urd paused, her eyes growing distant as she thought on how to respond to Belldandy's question, her thumb rubbing the smooth wood of her broom. She blinked, focusing once more on Belldandy's face. "I'm…not too sure, myself. I figured I'd let World of Elegance take care of her, and move on from there."

Another nod from Belldandy. It wasn't the answer she'd been hoping for, but then again, Urd was not as experienced in the dealings of angels as Belldandy herself. It would have to do. "Alright then. I wish you luck on your dealings, Urd." She smiled wanly. "And I'll pray that Noble Scarlet doesn't attack you on sight."

Urd grimaced, looking past Belldandy and to the wall behind her. "I'd forgotten about that part." She grumbled, more to herself then to Belldandy. "Hopefully World of Elegance will keep that from happening." She looked back at her sister. "I'll just deal with it as it comes along. When Skuld comes out, tell her to meet me outside, alright?"

Belldandy nodded in confirmation, and with a fleeting grin, Urd turned away, propping Stringfellow once more against her shoulder and walking down the hallway, disappearing from sight as she exited the house.

~*~

Belldandy didn't have to wait long. The young woman had gone into the kitchen in the hopes of cleaning a few dishes as she waited for Skuld to finish getting ready. And it was just as the water was growing hot that Skuld appeared in the kitchen's entrance, dressed in a red t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

"Alright, I'm ready. Where did Urd run off to? I want to hurry up and get this over with. I have other things to do today then play 'tag around' while she's shopping." Not entirely true.

While Skuld did have several projects she was working on, none of them had really been on her 'high priorities' list, especially after seeing Noble Scarlet. In truth, the little angel had been on Skuld's mind since the child had awakened, and while she wanted to know just what had happened to her Other Half, the young Norn was more then a little afraid of the answer.

Belldandy grinned at her younger sister's antics, recognizing Skuld's bluff for what it was, but refusing to call the girl out on it. Turning off the water and grabbing a towel to dry her hands, Belldandy said, "Urd should be outside." Setting the towel down, she turned to the dark haired girl. "Let's go. I'll see you off."

Skuld nodded, and as Belldandy walked to her side, the two younger Norn's exited the kitchen, walking down the hallway and outside to where Urd was waiting. They found the woman in the courtyard, leaning casually against a tree as she inspected one of the fangs that Belldandy had returned to her. Stringfellow was leaned up against a rock next to her, and as Belldandy and Skuld walked towards them, the enchanted broom cried out in greetings. "Lady Belldandy, over here! Ah, you are looking as lov-"

Urd grabbed the broom's neck, silencing it once more. "Would you shut up?" Urd growled out. "I swear, you grow more and more like a love sick fool every time I take you out!" The broom's only response was a sound that sounded like a squeak. Urd ignored it.

Turning her attention to Belldandy and Skuld, Urd raised a slim eyebrow. "You ready?" She asked.

Skuld nodded her head in confirmation and Urd grinned. Readjusting her grip on Stringfellow, the goddess mounted the broom, motioning for Skuld to do the same. Skuld stared at Urd and her broom with a look of displeasure, before giving Belldandy a quick hug and running over to join her sister.

The broom was hovering now, and as Skuld moved to sit behind Urd, she reluctantly wrapped her arms around the older woman's waist. "Urd, you better not go too fast." The child growled out warningly.

The Norn of the Past shrugged her shoulders, turning to glance back at her darker haired companion with a careless expression. "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Violet eyes flickered over to Belldandy, who stood a short distance from the duo. "We should be back in a couple of hours of so. See if you can't enjoy your alone time with Keiichi." Her words elicited a cry of protest from Skuld. Urd ignored it.

Belldandy nodded. "I'm sure the two of us will think of something to do while the two of you are out. Enjoy your time together!" She said cheerfully, watching as her two sisters rose higher in the air. She waved a good-bye as the two suddenly sped off in the direction of the town, quickly disappearing from view.

The only reminder of their departure was Skuld's screams of displeasure, her words of anger towards Urd lost on the wind.

Belldandy let her arm drop to her side. "Well, this is a nice change in events." She said to herself, turning and heading back to the shrine. "And on a day with no school or work for Keiichi too." She smiled happily to herself. "Perhaps we can have a picnic down by the coast if Keiichi isn't too busy later today. I'm sure that with all the things that have been happening as of late, he'd enjoy a change in scenery."

Plans for a meal already forming in her mind, Belldandy entered the house, making her way towards Keiichi's room in the hopes of discussing her ideas for the day.

~*~

Above the city of Nekomi, a flock of birds suddenly scattered into two, squawking discontentedly as Urd and Skuld passed through their ranks. The cries were drowned out, however, by Skuld's screams, which seemed to carry on the wind and down to the flightless citizens below. To those that heard it and thought to look up, they would see little more then a blob that seemed to produce it's own jetstream. They would automatically assume it to be some new sort of jet or perhaps some sort of 'secret military contraption' and quickly return to their business, ignorant of the fact that they had just witnessed two goddesses pass over their heads.

"Urd, you idiot, I told you not to go so fast!" Skuld screamed, her arms tightening almost painfully around Urd's torso and drawing the girl closer to her sibling. She squeezed her eyes shut, the wind screaming in her ears and sending her long hair into a frenzy.

For her part, Urd laughed, a cackle that would have been at home coming from a witch. "What's that Skuld? Go faster?" She tilted her head back, eyes glimmering as Skuld's own dark eyes popped open in horror.

"No, no Urd-" Stringfellow dropped into a dive, and Skuld screamed, clinging to Urd as though her life depended on it, her stomach left somewhere in the heavens above.

It wasn't that Skuld disliked the speed and freedom that came with riding on Stringfellow. The girl might even claim to enjoy it, had it not been for one thing.

Control.

The lack of control while sitting behind Urd, leaving the older woman to decide what to do, Skuld couldn't stand it. If she was going to ride on the fastest broom in heaven, and, after Belldandy's race with Hild, hell, Skuld wanted to be the one in control, speeding or slowing to a point she was comfortable at.

Urd, however, made such a thing all but impossible.

"Stop! No more! I'd rather walk then ride behind you!"

"What's that Skuld? Do a barrel roll? That's a great idea!"

The girl screamed once more as the broom twirled in the air, sending the two goddesses for a spin before righting once more. With the Devil's smile on her face, it seemed as though Urd lived for the express purpose of scaring her youngest sister. The grip around her waist had tightened to a point that no doubt would have moved several internal organs into different places had she been mortal, and Skuld's screams had grown to the point where Urd couldn't tell the difference between Skuld and the wind.

No one would have ever suspected that the goddess with the mixed blood had an actual reason behind her actions, one that bordered on something other then installing a fear of brooms inside Skuld's psyche.

Skuld's reaction towards Urd upon the older woman exiting her room had not been forgotten. And while the goddess was still unclear as to the reasons behind Skuld hiding behind Belldandy were still unclear, Urd did have her suspicions. And one thing that she decided needed to be done as soon as possible was to destroy any chances of a fear of any kind towards Urd. And the best way to do that, she decided, was to force Skuld to be as close as possible to her.

Listening to Skuld's demands that Urd slow down and feeling slim arms tighten ever-so-slightly around her waist, Urd figured that, if anything else, she'd have accomplished that much today.

~*~

Skuld glowered at Urd as the two sisters walked inside the ice cream parlor. Urd ignored it, having grown long immune to such looks from her little sister in the past, instead opting to get in line as she sent Skuld forth to find a place to sit.

"You better get me the right ice cream, Urd." Skuld growled out, before turning and storming away to find a table.

"Find us a booth and I'll get you that and more, Skuld." Urd called out, watching in unveiled amusement as her sister suddenly diverted herself from her original course towards an empty table and moved towards a booth with a window next to it. Skuld slid onto one of the seats, moving to lean up in the corner of the booth and crossing her arms over her chest as she set her sights on Urd. The woman grinned and gave her a thumbs up. Skuld glared.

A few minutes later, Urd returned baring a red plastic tray with three bowls of ice cream: two large bowls of rocky road, and a smaller bowl of soft-serve vanilla chocolate swirl. Sliding into the seat opposite Skuld, Urd placed one of the bowls of rocky road in front of her younger sister, while she moved the bowl of soft-serve in front of herself. The remaining bowl of rocky road remained untouched, and Skuld stared at it with a raised eyebrow.

"You know, you didn't have to get me another bowl. We could always go back up for seconds. It's not like I eat ice cream _that_ fast."

Urd bit back the retort on the tip of her lips, instead shaking her head and saying, "Who said it's for you?"

The younger girl blinked, her brows furrowing together in confusion as she stared from the lone bowl of ice cream to Urd and back again. "Then whose if for? It can't be for you. You hate rocky road. And I don't remember you saying anything about us meeting with someone while we were out, Urd."

The woman across from her sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes as though the answers to Skuld's questions were obvious. "Noble Scarlet."

Skuld leaned back in her seat, blinking at Urd in disbelief. "What?"

Urd's expression didn't change. "You heard me. The second bowl of ice cream is for Noble Scarlet."

Several seconds of silence passed as Skuld stared long and hard at her older sister, searching for any signs that the older woman was joking and that her words were in jest. The child couldn't find any of the usual signs.

"Urd…" Skuld said, speaking slowly as though she was afraid the silver haired woman might somehow misunderstand her. "…You _do_ realize we're in public, right?" The woman nodded easily, apparently unfazed by Skuld's tone. Another long pause, and then, "Are you _crazy_? I can't bring out Noble Scarlet here! There are too many people!" The dark haired girl slammed her hands down onto the table, her ice cream momentarily forgotten.

Urd snorted, apparently amused by Skuld's small outburst. "Relax, Skuld. Don't you think I haven't thought of that already?" She pointed to the edge of the table, and as Skuld turned to look, the young Norn could just make out a seal of some sort glowing dully against the wood. She turned back to Urd, questioning brown eyes meeting expectant violet.

"No one is going to notice us. If anyone so much as glances our way, the only thing they'll see is a couple of girls hanging out together, no harm, no foul." Skuld was surprised to see World of Elegance appearing behind Urd, the tattooed angel sending the girl a brief, reassuring smile before moving to sit next to the goddess that was her host. As the angel folded her black and white wings behind her, she snagged the bowl of soft serve from where it rested in front of Urd, grabbing the sole spoon that had come with the bowl and taking a large bite of the cold treat. Urd sent her Other Half a pointed look, which the angel returned with a furtive smile.

Skuld looked between the two with wide brown eyes, as though unsure as of what to make of the situation and unsure if she should follow her sister's example. Or perhaps she was unwilling, yet couldn't think of a reason why.

Urd took notice of her sister's apprehension and smirked, leaning forward in her seat and asking, "What's wrong? You aren't afraid of bringing Noble Scarlet out, are you?" Hopefully her sister would rise to the bait.

Skuld did indeed rise to the bait, as Urd had planned, huffing angrily and crossing her arms over her chest. "Why would I be afraid to call Noble Scarlet out, Urd?" She growled out. "It's not like there's anything _wrong_ with her or anything!" A lie. And Skuld knew it too-seen it evident in the odd marking on Noble Scarlet's chest.

But there was no way, in heaven or hell, that she'd let Urd get the best of her, and with a deep breath, Skuld squeezed her eyes shut, mentally calling her angel forth. She felt the warmth of Noble Scarlet leaving her body, and cringed, afraid of Urd's reaction. Nothing but silence greeted her ears.

And somehow that silence was more frightening then anything Urd could have said.

"Well? Say something!" Skuld demanded, refusing to open her eyes for fear of the expression she'd see on Urd's face. Her mind easily filled in what her eyes refused to see however, and images of Urd staring at Noble Scarlet in horror or shock or some similar emotion raced through her brain.

And then she felt someone slide in next to her, and an arm wrapped itself around her shoulders. Peering through squinted eyes, Skuld could make out Urd's dark hand resting on her right shoulder, and the girl's eyes widened somewhat in surprise. She tilted her head upwards slightly, finding that Urd had indeed moved to sit next to her, rather then across from her. The older woman wasn't looking at her, and Skuld was unsure whether to be relieved to find no accusing looks from her older sister or ashamed over the fact that Urd wouldn't meet her eyes.

The dark haired little girl followed her sister's gaze, brown eyes coming to rest on World of Elegance and Noble Scarlet. The tattooed angel had taken over Urd's vacated seat, and sat leaning up against the window, her wings acting as something of a cushion against the glass. Noble Scarlet sat leaning into the older angel, who held the red eyed angel in a gentle embrace.

The younger angel's eyes were closed, an almost peaceful expression on her face as she mouthed words Skuld couldn't hear mutely. A look over at World of Elegance revealed a similar expression, the angel with the black and white wings gazing tenderly down at her 'sibling', also mouthing words Skuld couldn't understand.

"They're singing."

Skuld blinked, looking away from the two angels and up at Urd. Sensing her younger sister's gaze, Urd also looked away, turning her attention to Skuld. "I think it's their way dealing with what happened. I'm not really sure myself." The woman shrugged a shoulder, and Skuld returned her attention to the angels. With the way World of Elegance was embracing Noble Scarlet, the two looked like a mother-and-child combination.

_The Other Self._ _The mirror to the soul, reflecting the half no one else sees._

"But…I can't hear Noble Scarlet's singing." Skuld said, finding her voice from where it had disappeared shortly after bringing Noble Scarlet out. Her eyes focused on the two angels across from her, Skuld missed the small frown that flashed across Urd's face.

"You're blocking her out."

Skuld frowned, looking up at her sister in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Noble Scarlet. You're blocking her out." Sharp violet eyes stared down at her, and Skuld looked away, finding herself unwilling to hold Urd's gaze. "It's because of the scar on her chest, isn't it?" The younger girl stiffened at Urd's words, and from where they rested on her pants, Skuld's hands curled into fists. "Will you tell me how she got it?"

Mutely, Skuld shook her head, her gaze focusing on the bowl of rocky road in front of her that was quickly becoming little more then a chunky brown soup. She didn't want to tell Urd about The Woman. Even if did, she wasn't sure she _could_ speak of the incident. Even now, just thinking about the phantom who'd injured Noble Scarlet in her vision, _a vision_, of all things, where phantoms weren't supposed to hurt people, even now, it sent waves of fear down her spine.

Skuld's apprehension was apparent in the form of Noble Scarlet, whose eyes snapped open and began to struggle out of World of Elegance's embrace. World of Elegance, however, perhaps having expected such a reaction, held the younger angel against her, cooing voicelessly into the red eyed angel's ear. Gradually, the little angel calmed, slowly relaxing against the older angel once more, though the moment of peace seemed to have been destroyed. Her red eyes now remained glued to Urd, the little angel watching the goddess with a small frown on her youthful features.

_Hmm…perhaps another approach…_Urd thought to herself, holding Noble Scarlet's distrustful gaze for a brief moment before looking down at Skuld's dark head. "You know, Holy Bell has a scar kind of like that."

_That_ got Skuld's attention, as the girl's head snapped up, wide brown eyes staring at Urd in disbelief. "She does?"

Urd nodded, a small, semi-amused smile on her face. "Yep. Though chances are you won't see it now. The scar is old. Belldandy and Holy Bell got it when they were younger then you, and, as with all scars, theirs has faded over time."

Skuld stared at Urd, her mind briefly replaying her time with Belldandy: The look of understanding, the way her older sister didn't try to force her to explain, even when Skuld felt compelled to tell her. It hadn't been out of pity or sympathy. If what Urd said was true, then Belldandy must have had a similar experience to her own in the past.

"So…Belldandy…" She couldn't come up with the words needed to convey her meaning, but Urd nodded none the less, seeming to understand what Skuld was struggling to put into words.

"Yeah. She never really told me what it was she saw, but the scar appeared in between Holy Bell's wings. No one never really noticed back then because the wings kind of blocked it from sight. And now it simply doesn't matter due to how old it is." Urd shifted slightly in her seat, reaching into her shirt and withdrawing, much to Skuld's surprise, the very knife that had sent Skuld into the throws of a vision.

The reactions to the sight of the weapon were instantaneous. Skuld bolted to the far end of the booth, pressing herself up against the glass window as though she sought to merge with it, staring in alarm at the knife. Across from them, Noble Scarlet once more sought to escape World of Elegance's embrace, and once again the older angel refused to release her, her grip around Noble Scarlet's torso tightening and bringing the two closer together.

Urd raise her free hand, the one gripping the Angel Biter moving to set the blade down on the table. "Skuld. Skuld, calm down." She ordered, motioning for her younger sister, who looked to be on the edge of panic, to relax. "It's alright, it's not going to hurt you. Calm down."

"Calm down?" Skuld squeaked, looking from the blade to Urd. For a second, she'd been sure she was having another vision, or some sort of nightmare, because Urd's resemblance to The Woman had _skyrocketed_ when the elder goddess had withdrawn it from its place of rest. "How can you expect me to calm down!? That…that _thing_ tried to kill me! Why did you bring it with you!?"

Skuld's voice cracked, and for a second Urd was sure the child would loose herself once more to instinct, unleashing a tidal wave upon the innocent people meandering around the parlor. Quickly, the goddess reached over, grabbing her sister's shoulders and forcing her gaze onto the child. "Skuld, look at me." The girl's brown eyes darted to and fro, looking almost like a wild animal that had suddenly found itself caged. "_Look at me._" Her grip on Skuld's shoulders tightened somewhat, and the brown eyes focused on her violet ones.

"You're alright. It's just a knife. It can't hurt you. Just calm down and I'll tell you what it's doing here. Understand?" The older goddess held her sister's gaze, mentally willing the younger girl to listen to her and do as she said. "Come on, take a deep breath…"

Gradually, Skuld calmed down, her smaller hands reaching up and wrapping around Urd's wrists, as though needing to find something familiar to ground herself with. Urd nodded in approval, listening as Skuld's breath took on a slower rhythm before slowly releasing her.

"Urd…what's going on?" Skuld released her grip on Urd's wrists, and the woman drew back as Skuld shifted her position, drawing her legs up from underneath the table and onto the booth, where she wrapped her arms around them. She sounded worn and tired, like a person with the weight of the world on their shoulders. "I don't understand…Why did you decide to take me out today? Why did you bring that knife with you?" She shifted once more, resting her elbows on her knees and burying her fingers in her dark hair. "Why are you doing this?"

Urd leaned back, falling silent as she stared at the younger girl. After what felt like an eternity of silence, she spoke. "The Angel Biter in a cruel blade." Her voice was low and soft, filled with an emotion that might have been regret, or something else entirely. Skuld wasn't sure, and she stared at the older woman with a soft frown.

"I remember Mara saying how sometimes, it seemed as though the blade had formed something of an artificial consciousness. Said it was from all the angels it'd wounded in the past. And I've seen proof of that consciousness several times before." The woman looked around the table, taking in the almost hostile glare from Noble Scarlet, to the matching, suspicious look from Skuld, to the calm, reassuring gaze of World of Elegance. Taking a deep breath, she continued.

"It…doesn't really like goddesses. But then, considering where it's from, that sort of thing is to be expected. It'll lash out if any sort of 'divine' being attempts to wield it, like it did with you." She didn't bother elaborating too much on the subject, and only silence greeted her ears. Not so much as a peep from Skuld, though Urd didn't miss the quick glances she gave the weapon on the table.

"It has a…unique way of attacking its victim. When not in the hands of the one it considers its owner, it'll assault the god or goddess with a mental attack, calling forth images it has born witness to in the past and combining them with a manifestation of what that person fears most." The woman pointed to the scar-like marking on Noble Scarlet's chest, ignoring the way the young angel moved to cover it from view, as though ashamed of the mark. "That mark is a manifestation of what you've seen. Angels are a manifestation of the soul. When one is scarred, it appears on the other, but with time, it, like any other scar, will fade."

Skuld's frown deepened, and this time the younger girl did speak, her brows drawn together in puzzlement as she said, "But…the person I saw…she wasn't someone I'd met before. She kind of looked like you, but when she spoke…" It had been Belldandy's voice that had addressed her.

Urd looked on with a small frown of her own, sensing that Skuld wasn't truly addressing her, but rather trying to come to terms with something. She fell silent, allowing the younger girl some time to think.

"What that person fears most…"Skuld repeated, taking a deep breath and releasing it with a sigh, her eyes closing as she brought forth the image of The Woman, this time on her own terms. Gradually, her mind began to form the image: Those violet eyes, so similar to Urd's, yet held a malevolent cruelty to them that only a demon could hold. Wild, untamed white hair that cascaded down the woman's back, wearing a smile that only a devil could love. And the voice, so familiar, manipulated into something that sent shivers down her spine.

In some weird, twisted way, it almost made sense. Skuld's life almost revolved around her sisters. A mental demon that took on her older sisters' characteristics was the only explanation. That demon half of Urd's was something that Skuld had feared for as far back as she could remember, during a half-memory, half-dream of a younger Urd going mad when a group of higher classed deities had sought to separate the two halves. She couldn't remember most of it, but Urd's wild, near-insane eyes had been one thing that had stayed with her.

And Belldandy….Belldandy was her idol, the one person in the world, heck, the universe, that Skuld sought to be. Everyone seemed to look up to her, even gods that held seniority over her. Belldandy's disapproving voice was something that could make her feel lower the dirt, and hearing it in such a manner that clearly cried for her blood was terrifying.

"I…think I'm starting to get what you're saying." Skuld mumbled, blinking brown eyes and coming out of her thoughts. "But I still don't get it. If it doesn't like gods, how come you can touch it? Has it attacked you too?"

Urd shook her head. "No, to both questions. It's never so much as touched my mind before, and while the _exact_ reason is unknown, Belldandy and I think it's because either I've spent so much time around it that it doesn't register me as a goddess, or my…_other_ heritage blocks it from recognizing me as a goddess."

Skuld nodded slowly, her eyes lingering on the demon's blade for a moment longer before turning to look at Urd. "I guess I can believe that." She muttered, before glaring at her older sister. "But did you _have_ to bring the stupid thing with you? You could have just as easily told me without having to bring that old relic with you, you know." The younger girl crossed her arms over her chest, a look of displeasure on her youthful features.

Seeing more of her sister's normal attitude appearing once more, Urd smirked, falling back once more into her role as 'annoying older sister'. "Yeah, I could have left it at home, but then someone else might have found it, and I'd be stuck taking _them_ out for ice cream instead of you. Besides, with the new seals on it, I've decided to keep it on me. You never know when it'll come in handy." She grabbed the blade, returning it from whence it came.

Despite the fact that the weapon was fairly large as knives go, there was no sign of the weapon against Urd's shirt, something that Skuld silently envied. Oh the things she'd have up her sleeves when she became more adept at magic!

The weapon stowed away once more, Urd's smirk grew into an impish smile. "Now, if we're done with questions, hurry up and finish your ice cream. This isn't the only place I want to hit while we're out today, and I don't want to spend all day moping around one ice cream parlor." She motioned to Skuld's forgotten bowl of ice cream, which had become little more then a cold, liquidly soup, and Skuld's face scrunched up in distaste.

"What? No way! I'm not touching that! It's all melted!"

A look around the table revealed much of the same thing. Urd's bowl of ice cream sat untouched from where it rested in front of World of Elegance, and the bowl of rocky road that had originally been meant for Noble Scarlet sat off to one side, only semi-melted in comparison to Skuld's ice cream soup.

"Well, maybe you should have spent less time talking and more time eating."

"Hey! Don't try and blame this on me! If you hadn't brought up everything about that stupid knife of yours, I'd have finished my ice cream before it'd have melted! This is your fault, not mine!"

As the two sisters fell into an argument, World of Elegance and Noble Scarlet watched on, the former with a small, amused smile on her face, the latter with wide, curious red eyes. The marking on Noble Scarlet's chest was, for the moment, forgotten as the two angels watched their hosts bicker with one another.

For the moment, everything was as it should be.

But it was anyone's guess as to how long it would last.

~*~

From the rooftop above, a man watched as a woman with dark skin and white hair left the building he was standing on top of, accompanied by a younger girl with lighter skin and darker hair. Sharp, unruly green eyes narrowed, and his lips peeled back in a sneer. Thick, curly black hair swept across an oval face, and with an annoyed grunt, the stranger flicked it away.

So this was the Daimakaicho's daughter? My, how she'd grown since last he'd seen her. A high pitched keening rang in his ear, and the man grimaced, bringing a hand to one ear and speaking aloud.

"Yeah, it her. Target confirmed and all that crap…no she hasn't noticed me…what do you think I am, some stupid rookie? Of course not!" A sigh. "No, I'm not going to confront her, she's got a kid with her…yeah? Fine. Do whatever the hell you like. I ain't nothing but a minion, after all." The keening rose in pitch once before fading away altogether, and the man brought his hand away from his ear.

"Dumbass." He muttered, before turning and walking away from the ledge of the building, thrusting large, meaty hands into the pockets of his jeans.

~*~

Urd paused as she walked out of the parlor, eyes flashing dangerously as an almost unnoticeable streak of alien magic traveled across her senses. Skuld, seeing her sister tense, frowned, looking up at the older woman in puzzlement. "What is it?"

Urd didn't respond right away, instead allowing her gaze to travel upwards in the direction the magic had come from. Nothing but the usual rooftops met her eyes. The woman frowned, casting her senses forth in an effort of finding the owner of the magic. Nothing came back to her, which meant one of two things. Either she'd imagined it, perhaps mistaking the trail for something mundane, or the owner had noticed _her_ and was going through great lengths not to be found.

"…It's nothing." She said, turning to her sister with a confident smile. "Now come on, let's hurry up to the next parlor of yours." She'd come back later. The goddess didn't like the idea of another magical being, divine, damned, or something else entirely, hanging around the area she called her own without revealing themselves to her. Anyone going out of their way to hide themselves from her obviously didn't have the best intentions in mind, and she'd rather confront _them_ before they got the jump on her.

Placing her hand gently on the small of Skuld's back, Urd guided her sister from the ice cream parlor, her arrogant smirk little more then a mask to the troubled thoughts that had suddenly filled her mind.

~*~

A/N: Oh crap. I can't stand how this chapter came out. And I'm sorry that it took so long to write. But hey, the good news is that we're finally moving into something that resembles a plot now! Hopefully the next chapter won't take as long to get up, but as of right now, I have no fragging clue. Anyways, tell me what you think, and what I need to improve on. Maybe that way I'll stop hating the way my chapters keep coming out. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed reading the story more then I did writing it. Until next time!


	7. Brother's Love, Mother's Hate

Angel Biter

Chapter 7

Niflheim

The corridor echoed hollowly with the sound of three pairs of feet. Shadows flickered and danced in the dimly illuminated hallway as the owners of the feet passed through. The group of three was deafly silent, lead of a rather tall, dark skinned woman who gave off an intimidating aura. Her sharp violet eyes glittered dangerously in the light, and her hands were clenched stiffly-angrily at her side.

Behind the woman with the odd silver hair, two men followed side by side. The man behind her and to her left was abnormally tall, his skin several shades darker then the woman he trailed behind, and his hair a shade of black that matched his calm dark eyes. Next to him, a pale man followed in step. A dwarf in comparison to his taller companions, the man gazed at the world with intelligent hazel eyes. His dirty blonde hair was shoulder length, with bangs that continuously fell into his eyes.

All three of them had odd, red marking on their faces, marking them for what they were: demons. Unlike Hild, who was dressed in her usual revealing outfit, the two demons behind her, the dark skinned Amon and pale fleshed Gaap, were dressed in matching uniforms, each decorated with an emblem that displayed what their status to the rest of the demon-kin. Angel Slayers, First Generation.

In the time since the battles fought between Valkyires and Slayers, in the time since Urd left the realm she was born in for that of her sister's, the Angel Slayers had changed somewhat in the eyes of the public. No longer were they the great Slayers of gods, demons to be feared by one and all. Instead, they had become something of a secret police organization, lead by none other then the 'Devil's Valkyrie' herself, Hild.

It was hard to tell if their name invoked more fear in the past as a military branch killing angels and going mad with bloodlust, or in the present, where they were a secretive organization who's methods were questionable at best, yet going about their business unhindered by those around them.

Under such a mysterious organizations, people-demons, spirits, and even the occasional deity, tended to disappear every now and then to parts unknown. And it was one such person Hild and her two companions were currently moving to meet.

The trio came to a halt in front of a door. It was incredibly large, seeming to encompass the entirety of the hall the three stood in, and lined with seals and runes that glowed as they grew near. At Hild's approach, a single, overly large eye appeared in the center of the door. Its pupil was slit like that of a snake, with a sickly yellow iris that regarded the trio blankly. It was surrounded by a highly elaborate magic circle, one that only glowed brighter as Hild grew ever closer to the door and the eye attached to it.

She came to a halt a foot away from the door, and the eye focused on her. There was a moment of deafening silence, and then a soft, almost delicate voice spoke up from parts unknown. "Daimakaicho Hild, The Devil's Valkyrie, First in Command of the Angel Slayers." It said, spewing forth several more titles before the eye moved to focus on the men behind her.

"Amon, Angel Slayer First Generation. Gaap, Angel Slayer First Generation. Welcome." The eye moved to focus once more on Hild. "What are your orders, Lady Daimakaicho?" It asked.

Hild smiled stiffly. "Open to block three, section A-2." She ordered curtly, her voice unusually serious as she gazed at the eye that was an embodiment of one of the stronger seals on the door. The eye shut before melding into the door it resided upon once more, disappearing from sight as the runes and seals faded from view.

The door rumbled open, and without a word, Hild strode onwards, her two companions little more then silent shadows at her back. The room they strode into was little more then another long stretch of hallway. However, where the previous corridor had been void of all but Hild and her men, this hallway showed signs of life, evident in the various demons that passed to and fro, paying little to no attention to the Daimakaicho and her guards as they went about their business. Built in to either sides of the wall, cells lined with seals filled the corridors, the small prisons dark, hiding the various inhabitants that dwelled within.

As the trio continued further down the hallway, more and more demons appeared, these ones playing guard to cells with more complex seals. It was one such cell that Hild came to a halt in front of, expression hard as she gazed through the glowing glyphs on the cell bars and into the darkness beyond. Even with her eyes-violet orbs that had long ago adapted to dark environments such as the one she was currently in-she could only just make out the being that resided within, curled up in a corner with his head resting mournfully on his knees.

Hild's lip curled back with a sneer. What a pitiful excuse for a demon this man had become. It was hard to believe such a creature had once been a threat to her and her kin, many, many years ago. And now, she found herself returning to him once more, all in the slim chance that he might have the information she needed.

Violet eyes flickered to the two guards standing outside the cell, two fourth-gen slayers relatively new to her ranks, whose names Hild had yet to memorize. "Open the cell." She ordered, her voice icy and chilling in the semi-warm corridor.

As the duo in front of her rushed to do as commanded, Hild returned her gaze to the man inside the cell. He hadn't so much as twitched since she approached, and even now, as the runes and glyphs on the bars to his cell slowly lost their glow, there was no sign of life from him.

The cell door slid open, and Hild strode confidently inside, Amon and Gaap two silent sentinels at her back. The cell door closed behind them, something Hild paid no mind to-there was no demon seal that she could not break out of-and the Daimakaicho sauntered over to the lone resident of the cell.

The man had seen better days. If anything else, that much was evident in his appearance. The man's skin was an unhealthy pale, with dirty, messy black hair that clung to his flesh like spider webs. Beady black eyes that had sunken into his skull peered out through thick bangs, and both he and the outfit he adorned looked in dire need of a good cleaning.

At Hild's approach, the man looked up, eyes that were half-mad meeting violet eyes that glittered in the darkness. There was no recognition in the man's dark eyes, for all that Hild had come to visit him several times in the recent past. The demon leader didn't seem to care though, for she had long since grown used to the demon's blank stares since the time she had started to question him.

The silver haired woman kneeled down in front of him, leaving her eye level with the man, and for several long seconds, the duo simply stared at one another. Then Hild spoke.

"Hello Koka. Do you remember who I am?" Her voice was soft, gentle, even. It would have been misleading for one who did not know Hild's nature.

The man remained silent, his eyes focusing on Hild's face and running over her face, taking in the woman's unique characteristics. After a moment, recognition dawned in his eyes, and the demon known as Koka slowly nodded his head.

Hild broke into a smile. Last time it had taken five minutes for Koka to recognize her. It seemed the repeated visits _were_actually having an affect on the demon. "Wonderful." She cooed, her voice belying her true motives. "Then you also know why I'm here." Amethyst eyes narrowed. "Tell me, where is your brother, Vikoka? Who is working under him? What does your brother have planned, Koka?"

With each question, Hild's tone grew more and more demanding, and the man flinched at her voice. "Vikoka?" He questioned. "Vikoka is I, as I am Vikoka. Koka and Vikoka are one in the same. Two bodies, one mind. Always with me, always with him. Never alone, never never _never_alone." The man clutched his head, burying his face in his arms and rocking back and forth. "Don't want to be alone!" Came a muffled cry. "Vikoka, where are you?! Don't leave me here with the monster!"

The man was rambling, and Hild drew back with a snarled curse. Just when she thought she'd been making progress, too…

The babbling quickly grew into incomprehensible wailing, and with an angry hiss, Hild's left hand shot out, the delicate appendage wrapping into the dirty collar of the man's shirt. She shoved him into the wall of the cell bringing the deranged man's rocking to a halt and silencing him at the same time as Hild's knuckles buried themselves in the man's throat. A soft keening took the place of the demon's wails, and Hild ignored it. "May the gods in heaven bless you, you pathetic piece of dung!" She hissed, a rare display of her temper revealing itself as Hild lost her patience with the man. "Tell me where your brother is, lest I damage the body that houses your spirit further!" She threatened, voice rising and drowning out the keening.

As the threat was issued forth, Koka fell silent once more, and his head rolled forward limply on his neck, hiding his eyes from view behind overly long bangs. Then the unthinkable happened.

Koka laughed.

It started as a soft giggle, before rising in pitch, issuing from the belly and surging forth with enough force to cause the man's already harsh voice to crack. Had the demon not already been a broken man, such an action would have surely been a sign that Hild had finally destroyed his mind. But as it was…

The man lifted his head slightly, pinning Hild with a single black eye that sparkled with insanity. "Where's Little Urd, Valkyrie of Demons? And her little friend, Marller?" His voice was suddenly soft, almost child like in nature. "I want to play with the kids. Me and Vikoka and Mada too. Don't hog all the children to yourself, Daimakaicho." A small grin appeared on his face, growing into a malicious smile with each word.

He laughed once more, the harsh sound almost drowning out the _shink_of blades emerging from sheaths. Her grip still firm on the collar of Koka's shirt, Hild looked over her shoulder.

Her two companions had drawn the weapons hidden underneath their cloaks. Gaap's face was dark with rage, and enraged snarl on his face as he took one, then two steps toward the Daimakaicho and her prey. Amon's expression was stony, but his eyes glittered like dark diamonds as he followed his shorter friend.

"Do not speak so of Those that are Untouchable, scum, lest I cut your toungue out." Amon rumbled, his blade catching a fraction of some light and causing the weapon to glitter sinisterly.

Children. He was referring to children, be they of demon-kin or godlings. Demons and Gods alike did not reproduce all that often, and so each and every child was regarded as a treasure in the eyes of divine and damned. They were seen as untouchable until they reached a certain age-one that varied depending on the origins of the child.

To assault any child before that age came to pass was considered an incredible crime. No one, divine, damned, or otherwise, held much love for those who victimized those who had yet to make a name for themselves in Heaven or Niflheim. The punishments for such actions usually went beyond reincarnation.

Koka was one such example.

Vikoka was another. Or rather, he would be, if Hild ever latched her claws into him.

As Amon and Gaap grew closer, obviously intent on carrying out Amon's earlier threat, Hild held up her free hand. The two demons came to a halt, and the Daimakaicho turned her attention back to her prisoner. "How about me and my boys play with your devil instead?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper and meant only for Koka's ears.

The laughter died down into pitiful whimpers, and the man's head fell forward once more. Hild's eyes narrowed into slits. "Now, will you tell me what I want to know?" She demanded.

At her words, the whimpers were abruptly cut off. Hild, sensing a change in the man's demeanor, signaled with her free hand for her companions to be at the ready. Carefully, she released the man's shirt, standing and taking several steps back, refusing to turn her back to the crazed man.

"Hello Hild."

Koka's voice had suddenly lost the harsh edge to it, and the new voice was soft and calm. The woman frowned, her mouth set into a thin line. She crossed her arms over her chest. "Vikoka, I take it?" She queried, her head tipping to one side in curiosity.

The man raised his head, meeting Hild's harsh eyes with eyes that had suddenly grown sane. Compared to his usual state of mind, it was almost frightening, the sanity reflecting from his dark eyes. Koka-or was it Vikoka?-smiled. "Yes. I take it you're taking good care of my brother?" He asked, shifting into a more comfortable spot against the wall, something dark glittering in his eyes.

Hild smiled thinly. "Of course." She cooed. "Only the best, for those like you. Would you like to join him? I'm sure I can arrange a room just like this one for you." Her nails bit into the flesh of her gown, the only sign of her true feelings.

As if noticing the small gesture, the man laughed. "Ah, thanks for the offer, but I feel I must decline the invitation." The man's head lolled lazily off to one side, and he stared at the Daimakaicho with a single black eye. "After all, I'd _much _rather spend time with Little Urd then you and Koka."

Hild's nails dug deeper into the cloth, tearing through the material and biting into the flesh underneath. She took little notice of it.

"Oh, but that's right, isn't it? Urd isn't so little anymore now, is she? She's all grown up now. You must be so proud of your little girl, am I right?" Another chuckle. "How is the Little Daimakaicho, anyways, Hild?"

He was baiting her. Trying to get a rise out of her, pushing Hild to anger, safe in the knowledge that whatever she did, _he_ wouldn't be the one to suffer from her wrath.

For Koka and Vikoka were not just brothers.

They were _twins_.

Twins were a rarity in the tenth dimension where divine and damned resided, be it in heaven or hell. And their rarity was reflected all the more in their abilities. Koka and Vikoka were a prime example of those traits, as well. As Koka had said, they were never 'alone', so to speak. At any time, one twin could access the other's mind, and they were always aware of the other's surroundings. When one was injured, the other felt a phantom of his pain, yet otherwise remained uninjured.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot. You and Little Urd don't have the relationship you once had now, do you?"

Hild bared her teeth at him in a snarl, small sparks of purple electricity dancing across her body. "I'd watch what you say, Vikoka. You seem to forget that I hold your better half's sanity in my hands." She hissed, indigo eyes sparkling with rage.

The man's smile was mocking. "Now now, those no need for that, Daimakaicho. I can always ask Urd how she's doing myself, after all." The smile turned cruel. "After all, she in my range of vision even as we speak."

Hild stiffened, and she lunged at the man, any self control vanishing with those few small words. "What are you planning, Vikoka!?" She snarled, her hand wrapping around the prisoner's throat and pressing him painfully against the wall. She ignored the weak protests from her companions, who she could feel at her back, struggling to pull her off Koka's body.

A small portion of her mind realized that they weren't putting a hell of a lot of effort into the attempt.

Koka's body squirmed underneath her own, a pair of malnourished, bony hands wrapping around the wrist the clutched his throat. "You…will…pay…" He wheezed out, his voice cracking as Hild applied more pressure to his throat. "Y-you and…your Slayers…h-have…outlived your welcome…" The man gagged, and Hild eased her grip somewhat on his throat, a small bit of self-restraint returning to her.

"It's time to end your reign, Hild. I will have my brother's vengeance, starting with that precious mongrel you call 'daughter'. His smile was malicious. "For every wound you've inflicted on Koka, I will return it to Urd times ten."

Hild's eyes widened at the threat, and the grip around Koka's throat tightened once more. "Listen here, Boy, and listen well. If you so much as lay a _finger_ on my daughter, I will send you through a pain worse then death, with that wailing beast you call kin as your only companion. Do you understand me?" She snarled, her voice a throaty rumble that seemed to vibrate the surrounding air with power.

The man grimaced in pain, but continued speaking, undaunted by Hild's threats. "You think that after the things you've put my brother through, your threats mean anything to me? There's nothing you can do that can wound me anymore then I already am." It was the first sign of any anger on the man's behalf, his voice low and wispy. "Make no mistake of it. I will have my revenge Hild, even if it means breaking your daughter's mind, just as you have done to my brother."

With these parting words, the entity that was Vikoka faded from the man's body, and Koka slumped forward, unconscious, against Hild's hand. Hild released her grip around the man's throat, and as he slid to the floor, the Daimakaicho slowly moved to stand, her expression unreadable as she turned to the other two demons in the room.

"We need to go. _Now_." Was it their imagination, or was Hild's voice slightly panicked?

Neither had time to puzzle it out as Hild swiftly walked passed the duo, the door to the cell flying open with a wave of her hand and an unspoken threat to leave them locked up with the unconscious Koka if they didn't _move their asses_. Quickly, they walked after her, the cell door slamming shut behind them and seals activating once more, leaving one unconscious demon to rot once more in his prison.

~*~

Earth

"Hold is steady Senbei. We're almost done with this thing, and I don't need you to screw it up because you couldn't hold still."

The little genie grunted, but otherwise gave no reply, perhaps too busy struggling not to tremble under the weight of the piece of equipment he held over his head. Carefully, Mara tightened the screw that attached the piece to the rest of the machine in front of her. The nut tightened, the demon leaned back, a satisfied smile on her face as she surveyed her work, Senbei disappearing from under his piece and reappearing next to Mara's head.

The machine was large, taking up most of the western wall it was built against, and towering high above Mara's head. It looked like a nightmarish computer from hell crossbred with the inner mechanisms of a clock, complete with exposed gears and a low hum that echoed throughout the chamber. In between the gears and within cracks of the machine's skeleton, Mara's rats ran to and from various locations, pausing every now and then to check a bolt or some nut, making sure that everything was locked in place.

They, like Senbei, had been 'recruited' to help with the finishing touches of the machine, their small, nimble paws reaching areas Mara couldn't reach. It was more punishment work then anything else-Mara's petty revenge for their continuous pestering over the last couple of days.

Now though, seeing the horrendous looking device complete in front of her, Mara decided that she'd made the right decision. For once, she was actually _ahead_of schedule, and with Hild having returned home for some reason that eluded her, Mara was allowed to spend the extra free time she had doing what she loved-playing videogames.

"Alright boys, I'd say this baby's done." She said, her voice carrying over the steady hum of the machine and to the rats inside. "Give any bolts or nuts around you one last check, and your free to do as you please for the rest of the day." She couldn't help but grin somewhat at the enthusiastic cheers from the machine's occupants.

Senbei floated over to her shoulder, descending on the limb and sitting down on it, two small fists digging into the cloth that covered it for support. With him sitting right next to her ear, Mara could hear every word he said. "So, what does this thing do, Mistress?" The little spirit of misfortune asked, his head tipping to one side in curiosity as he stared at the machine.

Mara tilted her head somewhat, staring at the genie from the corner of her eye. "Isn't it obvious?" She asked, before turning her attention back to the device, which now had a steady stream of rats exiting from holes and crevices in the machine.

Senbei paused, giving the thing on more look over before shaking his head. "No…not really."

Mara scowled. "Oh come on, it's obvious!" She growled out. "Its…it does…" Now that she thought about it, Mara wasn't quite sure _what_she had made. Hild had come to her with specific orders to make it, and hadn't offered the blonde demon anything in ways of an explanation as to what she was making. And the punishment Hild had dished out last time Mara had questioned her orders was still fresh on the red eyed woman's mind, which meant asking was out of the question.

Not that Mara was going to tell Senbei that. She was, after all, technically his 'boss', and therefore needed to maintain a constant air of superiority. It wouldn't look good if she appeared as clueless as Senbei in regards to the machine she'd built. "…You'll find out soon enough." She grumbled, rubbing her temples in irritation.

The telltale signs of a headache were coming on, something the demon in charge chalked up to the fact that she honestly didn't know what Hild was having her do, something that frustrated her to no end. Except the signs were coming on faster then a normal headache, and as a low drumming filled her ears, Mara knew that what she was feeling was no minor pain.

The drumming grew into a dull roar, and the demon grimaced in pain, shrugging Senbei off her shoulder and running a gloved hand through her thick hair. Her head was throbbing now, with the steady tempo of a migraine, and the woman squeezed her eyes shut in an effort to block out the pain. What the hell? Where had this come from?

Then her world exploded into stars as Hild's voice roared through her consciousness.

The demon screamed in pain, eyes flying open and hands racing to clutch her skull as she doubled over. Like mental talons, Hild's voice tore into her mind, leaving painful furrows in her mindscape that would no doubt scar before they healed. She was dimly aware that through the roar-something reminiscent to a tornado-Hild was speaking to her, shouting something over and over again that Mara couldn't yet understand.

She was writhing in pain now, and with eyes that were suddenly blind to their current surroundings, Mara staggered over to the newly complete machine, rats scattering at her feet as the woman slammed her head into the device. A high pitched hum enveloped the room, and then the machine seemed to fall to pieces in front of Mara, all the effort she and her servants had put into the device gone in an instant.

As the rats cried out in disappointment and Senbei cried out in glee, Mara continued her staggering path to and fro, apparently completely oblivious to what she had just done. She cried out as Hild's voice rose in pitch, sending a fresh wave of pain over her form. "Hild, I can't…you're voice is too…argh!" She howled, her mind's eye assaulted with images of a woman with long white hair and violet eyes.

"Urd! Urd? What about her? Hild, what are you trying to say!?" Mara shouted, her face a mask of pain as she focused with all her might on the shriek of Hild's voice, trying to make out what the Daimakaicho was saying.

And as she did so, a small part of Mara questioned the reasons behind Hild's invasive presence in her mind. True, the Daimakaicho could easily enter the mind of any demon under her command, but to do so with such _force_was unusual. Whatever Hild was trying to tell her, it was without any sort of barriers or limiters. The Daimakaicho was speaking to Mara with full power, and had she been anything less then a demon with a first class license, there was no doubt that Mara would have been driven mad by the Demon Leader's cries.

Usually, Hild kept a better grip on her powers. Something really must have riled her up to have lost so much control.

_URD! FIND URD! _It was just about the only thing Mara could make out over the obnoxious roar of Hild's voice, and again, Urd's face flashed through her mind, this time followed with a feeling of panic and anxiety that chilled Mara to the bone.

Hild was never one to display such emotions. It was often joked about amongst her peers that the only time Hild would fall into a panic was during Ragnarok or-and this one was whispered behind the backs of those who might take too much notice-if the Daimakaicho's rebellious daughter had finally gotten herself into trouble she couldn't get out of.

Somehow, Mara was willing to bet her life savings it was on the latter.

"Alright, I get it!" Mara snarled. "I'm going, now get out of my head! _Please!_"

Apparently satisfied with Mara's response, Hild's voice faded from the demon's mind. Mara closed her eyes, taking several deep breaths as the thumping in her head eased away, before opening them once more and gazing around at her surroundings. "Damn it all..." She muttered, standing from the crouching position she found herself in, red eyes drifting to the large mess of metal that had once been a machine to the rodents that stood pressed up against the walls, eyeing her fearfully and doing their best to stay out of harms way.

Senbei floated over to her side. "What'd da Head Honcho want, Mistress?" He asked, eyeing her in curiosity.

The woman shook her head, not bothering to grace him with a verbal response. Running a hand through her hair with a sigh, Mara looked once more at the totaled machine. "Senbei, you and the others see what can and can't be salvaged from that thing. I need to do something." She growled out, before disappearing in a flash of red light, leaving a swarm of confused and frustrated rats and a single curious genie in her wake.

~*~

A/N: And so I finally get around to posting the next chapter. It came out a lot better then the last two, in my opinion, and hopefully the next one will come out even better. Anyways, you all should know the drill by now: questions, comments, complaints? Tell me. And for my anonymous reviewers: if you have a fanfiction account, could you leave a review through there? I can't reply to your reviews otherwise, and I don't really like responding to a single person through chapters. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed it.


	8. A Man Makes His Move

Angel Biter

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Booted feet crunched the gravel that littered the rooftop as Urd lightly descended upon the ice cream parlor. True to her word, the woman had returned to the area after spending several hours with Skuld, the two siblings hitting any and every place that served ice cream and even taking some home for Skuld to stow away for later.

The mood between the two sisters had lightened somewhat from its initial start off at Skuld's awakening, and with a little coaxing, Urd had even been able to draw Noble Scarlet out of her shell. Between Skuld and her angelic Other Half, there hadn't been a scoop of ice cream left in Nekomi by the time Skuld was done. It was something that would have left the owners of the shops that had been hit ecstatic had either of the goddesses had the money to pay for the ice cream consumed. As it was, the only thing any of the owners got in payment from the two goddesses was a small prosperity spell placed along the inside of the doors to the shops-the closest thing Urd could do to make up for the money lost.

Not that any of the shop owners would ever recall the two. One of the advantages of being a goddess was a small bit of influencing selective memory on lesser beings-something that Urd had abused more then once. But hey at least unlike her demon counterparts, she tried to make up for the abuse of power.

Now, with Skuld back at the house with a full stomach and several gallons of ice cream somehow stored in the small freezer of the refrigerator, Urd could bring her attention back to what she'd sensed earlier. It was time to see if she had truly been imagining things or not.

The silver haired woman walked to the edge of the roof, looking over and down to the street below. Various people and cars traveled below her, going about their business and oblivious to the violet eyed woman watching them. It was strange. Just a few hours ago, she'd been here with Skuld, enjoying something that only Belldandy would call a 'sibling bonding' experience. Now she was back, this time looking for otherworldly beings.

"Might as well get started." Urd muttered, turning away from the vertigo inducing drop and back to the rooftop. The woman cast her hands in front of her, drawing a complex pattern in the air that seemed to glow a bright purple momentarily before disappearing once more. "There we go…" She murmured, clapping her hands in front of her and ending the spell.

It was something of a tracer spell, one of the few Urd had actually been able to master in her time in Heaven. The spell was a simple one, if not annoyingly time consuming. For while it allowed the caster to find any traces of recent magic, the only way it would work was if Urd actively inspected the whole of the building she was on. It was repetitive and laborious, and quite frankly, Urd hated the spell with a passion. But the goddess of the past wasn't going to deny that it worked, or that she didn't need it, so with a pained sigh, the Norn squared her shoulders and went to work, sharp violet eyes scanning the ground for any unusual flickers that might reveal what type of magic was last used.

Slowly, her head bent to the ground, the platinum haired woman began walking the outer perimeter of the rooftop, steadily making her way inwards in a geometrical spiral. _Come on, there must be something here._ Urd thought to herself, amethyst eyes flickering wildly along the ground. _I know I sensed something. My senses are as good as a dog's nose when it comes to magic-I've never been wrong when it comes to these sort of things._ The dark skinned woman bit back a growl, already growing frustrated with the amount of time being wasted with no results.

Never mind the fact that it had only been five minutes since she started searching.

Several more long minutes passed, and still, nothing showed itself to Urd. Her impatience with the spell moving her to the point of wanting to rip her hair out, a small, dull flash out of the corner of her eye caught her attention, and the goddess paused. Silver brows furrowed together in concentration as the tall woman slowly turned to where the flash had originated from, her mouth set in a grim, determined line as she waited for the spell to flash again, signaling where and what to look for.

Another flash, this one brighter and stronger then the last, and Urd's lips curled upward in a small, victorious smile. "I knew it." She muttered, taking several small steps towards the residual magic and kneeling down, sweeping an elegant hand through the illuminated magic. The foreign energy clung to her flesh like a strange, neon liquid, and Urd brought her hand closer to her face, carefully inspecting the magic.

"So I was right. There _is_ someone new in town." Violet eyes narrowed dangerously. The energy signature was alien to her. It had a faint demonic tang to it, yet it was missing that powerful electric pulse associated with Hild, or the burning, dancing aura unique to Mara. No, this one was different-cold, hard, and ridged, like a rock or a boulder. An earth elemental, perhaps?

The woman frowned, thin, platinum brows furrowing together in thought. What was another demon doing in Nekomi? Was Hild up to some new scheme again?

Automatically, the silver haired goddess shook her head. No, no…that wasn't right. If Hild needed a minion, she already had Mara in the mortal realm. Hild didn't _need_ to call for any other minion. Perhaps it was a new field agent, just another demon going about his or her job of corrupting souls and signing contracts.

But still…

"Mara would have said something if that was the case." Urd murmured, standing from her crouch and rubbing her hand on a pants leg. The magic residue quickly disappeared after that, Urd having found what she needed and having no further use of the spell that made it visible any longer. "She doesn't like other demons trying to move into her territory. If anything else, she'd have told me just in the hopes that I might get rid of the demon for her."

Then who?

The answer came to her unexpectedly in the form of two men appearing behind her. Sensing the two strangers sudden arrival, Urd wheeled around to face them, violet eyes bright with surprise as she whirled around to face the duo. "Wha-"

Urd didn't even have time to voice a question as one of the demons lunged at her. A large, meaty man with thick, curly black hair, he obviously wasn't built for speed, yet despite this, the sudden abruptness of the attack caught Urd off guard, and she only just managed to dodge the blow that was meant for her head.

Unfortunately, the following kick to her stomach wasn't so easy to avoid.

The wind knocked from her lungs, Urd doubled over in pain, hands instinctively moving to cover the stricken area. "Damn it…" She hissed, a deep grimace on her face as she fought to follow the movements of her opponent.

Two arms wrapped around her torso, and the woman cursed once more. Her attention glued to the one attacking her, she'd forgotten about his buddy, and had failed to notice him coming up behind her. "Urd Bolt!" The goddess gasped out, and a thick bolt of electricity descended upon the building, engulfing the demon who was trying to restrain her.

The resulting howl of pain from behind her brought a small smirk to her face, and quickly, Urd moved to stand once more, taking the opportunity to make a break for it. After all, one demon she could handle. But juggling two at a time? She wasn't arrogant enough to believe that she could take down two demons she didn't know. She was no Valkyrie after all. It was better to retreat to Belldandy for backup then take these two on all at once.

The Norn made it perhaps three feet off the rooftop before a hand wrapped around her foot and pulled her to the ground once more. "Son of a…!" Urd yelped, launching her free foot into the demon's face. She could almost _feel_ the crunch of his nose under her kick, and as he released her in favor of covering his face, Urd once again bolted for freedom.

Once again, the tan skinned woman didn't make it very far. Perhaps twelve feet from the roof of the ice cream parlor, the air in front of Urd began to glimmer. However, it wasn't until she ran full force into the wall of demonic seals that she realized what the glimmer meant-a foolish mistake on her account.

One that was going to cost her dearly.

As the goddess collided with the near invisible wall, complete with it's own set of wards, seals, and even a demonic mandala or two, the magic interwoven into the spells activated, and Urd shrieked as angry red lightning arched across her body. The silver haired woman fell back and the lightning faded, leaving the Norn stunned. Unable to hold the concentration necessary to hold her afloat, Urd's magic faded, and slowly, the stunned goddess fell to the ground.

One of the demons from before caught her-the man of an average height and build, with hair tied back in a long braid to keep the strands from assaulting his black eyes. Taking advantage of her stunned state, the demon quickly brought Urd back to the rooftop where his companion awaited. Mutely, he handed the shocked woman over to his comrade, who reluctantly took her, a look of rage on his face.

"The bitch broke my nose Vikoka." He growled, moving Urd's arms behind her back and restraining her, preventing the violet eyed woman from any more attempts at escape. His voice was thick and stuffy, as though the man suffered from a bad cold. Or perhaps a newly crushed nose. Vikoka shrugged carelessly.

"She'll do a hell of a lot more then that to you if you don't gag her." He said, nodding to the woman, who was dazedly blinking, slowly coming out of her former state of being. The man grumbled irritably, but none the less moved a hand to cover Urd's mouth, preventing the goddess from speaking the words necessary for bringing forth any offensive magic.

The action didn't go unnoticed, and Urd blinked several more times, violet eyes loosing their partially glazed look and clearing. Quickly, the eyes darted from one area to another, taking in her surroundings once more and her current state of being. There was a muffled scream, and Urd began struggling against the demon holding her back, squirming as she fought to free herself from the large man's clutches. She got nothing but a grip that was steadily tightening to the point of being painful for her efforts.

Casually, the somewhat shorter man approached the duo, giving Urd a once over with a small smirk on his face. If looks could kill, the man would have been rotting in his grave by now. Something that might have been a growl reverberated against the demon's hand as Urd glared at the man in front of her.

The stranger's smirk grew into a grin. "She's something else, isn't she Puloman?" He asked, tipping his head to one side as he regarded her. The man behind her grunted and Urd put up a brief struggle once more, perhaps hoping that he'd loosen his grip around her somewhat. No success.

Vikoka chuckled darkly at her antics. "What a fierce little beast you've grown in to, Little Urd." He said, a gloved hand reaching out and lightly patting her left cheek. Urd flinched away from his touch, raging eyes narrowing dangerously at the title 'little'. Who was this guy? And what the hell did he want from her, of all people?

Perhaps reading the confusion that dwelled behind her infuriated violet eyes, the man laughed lightly. "So it seems the rumors are true. You really don't remember me, do you?" The man reached behind his back, withdrawing a syringe from somewhere Urd couldn't see. A clear liquid swished ominously in the vial, and Urd's eyes widened, her heartbeat increasing as a bolt of fear raced up her spine.

"Oh well. Such is life, as they say. And I suppose it doesn't matter now." Urd almost didn't hear the demon's words, her attention too heavily focused on the syringe in the man's hand. The braided man noticed her gaze, and slowly moved the needled vial in various directions, grinning in amusement when wild violet eyes traveled after it.

"Hey Puloman, have you heard the rumors as to why Angel Slayers and their kin are so dangerous?" He asked, though for some reason, it felt more like his words were directed towards Urd then the demon restraining her.

The larger man grunted. "Don't be stupid. It's because those damned bastards will attack anything with wings growing out of 'em. Everyone knows that." Urd's eyes shifted from the syringe to its owner for a brief moment, obviously confused at the sudden change in subject. What did Slayers have to do with anything? And what was in that damned syringe? The man in front of her grinned, catching and holding her gaze with his own, and Urd growled once more, the affect lost with the large hand covering her mouth. Whatever was in it, something told her that it wasn't a demon's equivalent to a flu shot.

Again, the man in front of them laughed, apparently amused by his taller companion's response. "I suppose that's true. However, the reason behind that is a little deeper then you seem to realize, Puloman." He said, thrusting the syringe above his head, where the liquid inside caught and fractured the sunlight. "You see, demons really are little more then monsters, when it comes down to it. Oh, sure, we look and act as normal as our mortal counterparts or our more divine cousins. But it's all a ruse."

Another chuckle, this one laced with some horrid, alien emotion that Urd couldn't recognize. One she wasn't sure she wanted to, even if she could. "It's the devils that really show us for who we are. Just like those damned angels you always see those goddesses toting around, our devils are the monsters that dwell within, given a body of their own so that _we_ don't have to deal with The Beast locked within."

He brought the needle down again, turning his gaze to Urd once more. Somehow, she was sure the next words were directed towards her, and her only. "Of course…Angel Slayers don't have devils now, do they? Without a devil holding onto that monster, Angel Slayers and their ilk really are nothing but a pack of ravenous beasts." A look of disgust crossed his face, and the man continued.

"Killing their own without a second thought, allowing that monster out into the open? Bah, the Slayers are nothing but a bunch of rabid savages." His eyes narrowed in such a way that chilled Urd to the bone. "Of course, the younger little Slayers need some motivation every now and then, and I suppose that brings me to my next point."

He took another step towards Urd, slowly bringing the syringe in front of her face. The dark skinned woman flinched back, suddenly trying to burrow herself into the large demon at her back, if only to put some sort of distance between herself and the needle. If the man before her noticed, he made no comment on her actions.

Instead, in a low, soft voice her asked, "do you know what this is, Little Urd?"

The silver haired woman held her silence, instead settling for a glare that left little doubt as to who and what her mother was. The man ignored it. "You're mother is quite skilled in potions, though I'm sure you already know that." He said. "But even she makes mistakes every now and then."

"What I hold in my hand, Little Daimakaicho, is something that, at one time, had been one of Hild's accidents." He peered at her through the clear plastic of the syringe, the curve of the material obscuring and warping the black eye's appearance. "I heard she was trying to create a potion that would, in a sense, put the beast in you Slayers to sleep for a time, and thus, making the world a safer place for demon and god alike." The last part was spoken with a mocking, ironic tone. "Of course, some things are never meant to be it seems, and rather then put the monster down, it only seemed to bring the worst of the beast out, driving even the most sane of you Slayers-if there ever was such a thing-into a berserk rage."

Urd eyed the syringe once more, the lump in the pit of her stomach growing as she watched the liquid inside swish and sway with the braided demon's movements. What did that have to do with her? She wasn't a Slayer-that potion shouldn't have any real affect on her, no matter what the guy said.

Right?

"For whatever reason, that half-baked savage you share blood with decided to keep it, rather then discard it like any sane person." A dark, malevolent smile grew upon the man's face. "And wouldn't you know it? Some how this dangerous little cocktail found its way into my hands." He lightly squeezed the end of the cylinder, and a small droplet of the liquid inside welled up at the needle's tip. "I've always wondered what affect something like this would have on a Demon Queen's mongrel offspring."

The words were like a trigger, and Urd's eyes widened further, pupils dilating as she suddenly fought against the demon holding her with a strength she didn't know she had. A roar she was dimly aware to be her heartbeat pounded in her ears, and suddenly there was some slack around her mouth, something Urd intended to take full advantage of.

Quickly, she clamped her mouth down on the hand preventing her from speaking, a small part of her suddenly wishing she had Mara's fangs as she bit the demon with all the strength she could muster up. Which was quite a bit given the circumstances.

The man, Puloman, wrenched his hand away from her with a pained cry. Wasting no time, Urd mustered up as much magic as she could, while refusing to bring up the chants necessary for some of her more powerful spells. The dark skinned goddess wasn't sure how much time she had and the last thing she needed was to be interrupted with only half of one spell complete.

"Skysplitting Thunderblast!" She snarled.

In front of her, the braided demon's eyes widened as she uttered the spell, and she watched as his mouth parted in a curse, before his words were enveloped in the roar of her spell. A bolt of electricity that would have been at home with Thor descended from the heavens, easily piercing through the safeguards and seals the two demons had so painstakingly but into place.

And Urd's world went white as the bolt of magic engulfed not only the two demons, but her as well.

~*~

Lightly humming to herself, Belldandy cheerfully went about the chore of washing the plate in her hands, finding a peaceful tranquility in the repetitive action. It was strange in some ways…Before Keiichi, such tasks had never been left to her. When she'd discovered it, the sapphire eyed woman had taken to it with a shine, falling in love with the action of cleaning an object without the use of her magic. And the way the dishes seemed to sing after she was finished filled her with a sense of accomplishment that felt different from her usual duties that came with being a goddess.

Placing the dish in a rack to dry, the chestnut haired woman lightly went over the events of the past several hours, the recent memories bringing an almost school girl like smile to her face. After Urd and Skuld had departed, Belldandy had indeed convinced Keiichi to head down to the dock with her. With a small, simple lunch in hand, the two lovebirds had departed for the coast, finding a small spot on the beach and spending the next several hours simply enjoying each other's company.

There had even been a few moments where Keiichi and her had almost….The Norm shook her head, a faint blush lining her cheeks as she recalled the instances where she had almost gotten past her inhibition and kissed Keiichi…only for her hesitation to return, right at that most crucial instant and deny the both of them the intimacy they secretly craved.

Perhaps it was her own fault. Experience had shown that, whenever things were _just_ about to get good, some invention of Skuld's would go hang wire, or a potion of Urd's would rear its ugly head, or Mara or Hild or _something_ would appear and ruin the moment. So maybe she was a little hesitant about going any further then holding hands.

But then, it wasn't as though Keiichi had been any better.

The young woman shook her head once more, a rueful smile on her delicate features. Bah, she was just making excuses to herself. Besides, it wasn't as though she hadn't enjoyed the time she and Keiichi had shared.

Speaking of which…

Skuld had looked as though she'd enjoyed her time with Urd as well. Younger and older sisters had returned home about an hour ago-thirty minutes prior to Keiichi and Belldandy's own return-with several bags of ice cream, the duo arguing over some small, miscellaneous thing that hadn't even registered as 'important' in Belldandy's mind. The goddess of the present was more then a little relieved to see the two bickering in such a manner, a sure sign that the two were once more at ease around each other.

After using one of her many inventions to somehow store the many gallons of ice cream she and Urd had picked up in their little 'adventure' and confronting Keiichi on what he'd been trying with her sister when she was out, Skuld had retreated to her room. Even now, if Belldandy strained her ears, she could just make out the faint buzz or slam of some tool or machine. No doubt the child was repairing poor Banpei and Sigel, whom Belldandy had moved to Skuld's room upon returning from the beach.

And Urd…

Urd had left once more on some chore of her own after forcing Belldandy into a promise to tell her 'everything that happened on your date-leave nothing out'. It was unusual, seeing the older goddess rushing to and from various places as of late. Sadly, Belldandy could only chalk it up to everything that had been happening lately. Perhaps her elder sister was simply trying to make sure that a repeat of the event didn't happen in the future.

Which was why it was more then a little surprising to feel the backlash of one of Urd's more powerful spells rush through her body.

The brown haired goddess stiffened, the sud-laced glass in her hands falling to the floor, shattering upon impact. Belldandy took no notice, instead rushing from the kitchen and nearly colliding with Skuld who, like her sister, had sensed the magical aftershock.

"Belldandy was that-"

"I'm afraid so. Outside, quickly!"

The older sibling raced past her younger companion, almost destroying the sliding door that lead outside in her rush. Skuld gaped at the urgency in her older sister's disposition for a brief moment, before quickly coming out of her surprise and following after Belldandy.

They arrived outside, turning off into the direction of the city. The afterglow of Urd's magic was just beginning to fade, and Skuld turned to look up at Belldandy with alarmed eyes.

"What's Urd doing!?" She demanded. "Doesn't she know how dangerous it is, casting a spell of that magnitude in a city? She could hurt some one!" Her hands curled into fists at her side, and the dark haired child turned her gaze one more in the direction of the city.

Belldandy didn't respond, lost in her own thoughts, a thin, worried frown on her face. Something was wrong. While she tended to be wild and reckless when it came to her lesser spell, such as her Urd Bolts and such, Belldandy knew Urd wouldn't draw upon her higher abilities without a good reason.

But still…

_And so soon after Skuld lost control of her own magic as well._ She thought, tan brows furrowing together thoughtfully. _What is going on?_

Belldandy looked down at her younger sister. "Skuld, I'm going to go look for Urd." She said, a hint of urgency in her voice. Whatever was going on, it couldn't be good. And with everything that had been happening as of late, Belldandy was _not_ going to sit idly by-not when Urd was using such powerful spells in public.

Not when there was a chance that she was in trouble.

Skuld glanced back up at Belldandy. Reading the determination behind blue eyes, Skuld nodded. "I'll come too." She said, acknowledging the silent request for Skuld to come with. "I bet Mara and Hild are up to something again. And I can't let you go alone-they might gang up on you."

There was a flicker of concern behind Skuld's brown eyes, and somehow, Belldandy got the feeling it was more towards their wayward sister then Belldandy herself.

The older goddess nodded her head in agreement, a small, approving smile on her face. "Let's go."

~*~

Mara paused in her flight. She was heading towards the Morisato shrine, the only place Mara could think to find Urd at any particular time. In fact, the demon was almost halfway away from the cursed place when her senses alerted fanged woman to the goddess in question's newest location.

Blinking startled red eyes, the blonde wheeled in the air. Urd's spell was like a bright neon beacon, and with a small grimace, Mara looked away with a curse. It wasn't until the bright glow began to fade that Mara looked once more in the direction the spell had come from, blinking spots from her with a scowl on her face.

"Damn…I guess this means Hild wasn't full of crap after all." She murmured, casting a quick glance behind her and off into the distance of the Morisato shrine. "A spell like that…you'd have to have you're head shoved under a rock not to notice something that strong. I bet Belldandy and that bratling'll be going after Urd as well."

She turned back to the fading glow with a sigh. "If that's the case, should I really bother going? It looks like whatever Hild was trying to prevent has happened. And with her sisters coming to the rescue, they won't really need me around, right?"

The excuse sounded hollow, even to her ears.

Another scowl, her conscious at war with itself as she sought out her next course of action. "Alright! Fine! I'll go see what's up. If it looks like Urd needs my help, I'll give it. If not, I'll sit back and watch, and report it all back to Hild. Now will you _please_ shut up?"

Had anyone else been around, they no doubt would have wondered who it was Mara was addressing. As it was, with her declaration, Mara's conscious gave what could only be described as a 'mental grin' before falling silent once more.

Muttering darkly to herself, the demon shook her head, risking one last glance behind her to the Morisato Shrine. She couldn't tell if Belldandy and the Bratling making a move or not from where she was, but then, in the end, the demon supposed it didn't matter. She had her orders. And in the end, it was better to do as Hild demanded then shrug off to Daimakaicho's orders.

"This had better be worth it." She muttered, before changing course and flying off once more-this time in the direction she _knew_ Urd to be in.

~*~

A/N: And there you have it. Had a bit of trouble with Vikoka's little lecture to Urd and Puloman, but in the end, I suppose it came out alright. Belldandy and Skuld decided to be difficult with me as well, but hopefully you all can tolerate it more then I can at the moment. And let's not get me started on the fight scene between Urd and her two buddies. Ugh. All I'm saying about the next chapter is that it should be _really_ fun. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.


	9. Descent into Madness

Angel Biter

Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Violet eyes slowly opened as the light faded from Urd's spell. Sunspots obscured her vision, and Urd blinked, trying to clear her sight as she took in the devastation her spell had wrought. Slowly, the platinum haired woman picked herself up off the ground, shifting into a sitting position as she surveyed the surrounding area.

The ground beneath her feet was singed and black, as though someone had taken to arson on the ice cream parlor's rooftop and failed miserably in the process. Scorch marks lined the roofs perimeter, steadily growing darker the further inward one looked. The gravel that covered the rooftop had melted together, creating a lumpy crust reminiscent of a scab on the ice cream parlor.

A mental once over revealed that, aside from feeling like she'd been through a photography shoot from hell, Urd was alright. But then, it only made sense, in a way. Urd would have to be an incompetent rookie with magic to allow herself injury to her own spells.

Of course, that said little to her current appearance. A soft wind revealed several areas in her dress that chilled her in ways it shouldn't have-singe spots that her magic had taken a particular liking to, wearing through the material and to the flesh underneath. Had she a mirror on hand, there was little doubt in her mind that Urd would have seen a woman who'd decided to dance in a lightning storm in her reflection rather then a goddess who'd cast a rather powerful spell in the surrounding area.

Wonderful. So aside from looking like she'd been through hell, Urd was unharmed.

But what of her two…companions?

The force of her spell had knocked her down, she was aware of that. But what of the demon holding her? Somehow, Urd doubted that he'd been destroyed in the spell. As a goddess with a restricted second-class license, Urd wasn't qualified to use the more dangerous, often times lethal, spells. Such power was granted to first-class only, and even then, the only ones in _that_ group allowed to freely wield such power were Valkyries.

The goddess looked around, her disposition growing weary once more when she saw no signs of the two demons. Had they bolted?

With a soft grunt, Urd slowly rose to her feet.

Only to be knocked down once more as…_something_ slammed into her from behind.

The woman yelped as the ground rose to meet her once more, looking over her shoulder and catching sight of a bat-like black wing in the process. Violet eyes widened in surprise, and the silver haired goddess rolled, coming face to face with her attacker.

The devil was male in appearance. Thick black hair hung limply from its head, and dark red eyes burned into her with a fury and madness the likes of which Urd had never seen before. Its hands were shaped more like a falcon's foot rather then actual hands, the flesh graying to an ugly, scaly black, and the four digits aligning each hand ending in a wickedly curved talon. Its upper torso was bare, while its lower half merged into the long, scaled body of a snake. Large, black bat-like wings sprouted behind it, the left wing lined with silver, scar-like markings.

The creature snarled at her, revealing elongated canines that gave Mara's a run for her money. It slammed into Urd once more, talon-like hands wrapping around her shoulders and claws piercing her shirt and burrowing painfully into Urd's flesh, pinning the goddess to the ground. The violet eyed woman cursed, struggling under the devil, feet that should have hit flesh instead sailing through air. With the devil on top of her and her back to the ground, there was no way Urd could safely call World of Elegance for help.

"Get off of me you freak!" She snarled, amethyst eyes as hard as the stone they reflected. "Urd Bolt!"

Urd waited for the small tug in the back of her mind that signaled her spell had been triggered. Waited for the creature pinning her to the ground to be engulfed in electricity, giving her the opportunity she needed to escape. Waited for the devil to shriek in pain as her spell struck home.

Nothing.

No tug. No light. No scream. Nothing to signify that her magic had heard her command to come forth.

What the…had she really used so much energy in her last spell? Violet eyes widened in alarm, and her heart began to echo once more in her ears. No…no that wasn't right. If she'd used up all her magic, she'd have been unconscious by now-a result of over-exertion on her part. But then that meant-

A shadow bathed her form, and Urd paused in her struggles, looking up into the face of the braided demon from before.

He didn't look happy.

He glared down at her with smoldering black eyes, eyes that seemed to reflect the insanity in the eyes of the devil sitting on top of her. His expression was stony, mouth set in a thin, angry line. His hands were shoved in the pockets of his jeans, and the syringe he'd been about to stab into her a few minutes ago was no where in sight. Hopefully the thing had been destroyed in her spell. His companion was no where in sight, and as her eyes searched for any sign of the other demon, they met his, and the dark orbs narrowed dangerously.

"Well now, look what the snake dragged in." His voice was soft, filled with a malice that chilled Urd to the bone. "It seems my little _rakshasa_ has found an old friend of his." The devil on top of her hissed at his words, as though agreeing with what the demon said. "Ah, but you wouldn't remember Jaharil Naga now, would you?"

Urd bared her teeth in a snarl. In a voice that was almost _pleasant_, she said, "No, I'm pretty sure I'd remember running into a devil as ugly as this." She said, flashing the man looming over her a large, toothy smile that was anything but sincere. "Now how about you get this overgrown worm off me and remove that seal you placed on my magic? Maybe then I'll play with your little 'friend' here." She said politely.

The smile was quickly replaced with a grimace and Urd hissed out a curse as the devil on top of her dug his talons further into her flesh. Above her, the braided man-who the hell was he anyway? She'd yet to hear his name, and his devil was about as familiar to her as a snake was to a penguin-kneeled down beside her, bringing his face all that much closer to Urd's and blocking out anything else.

"A girl with a sense of humor. Never was much for them. It always felt like they never took anything seriously." A lightly tanned hand reached out, brushing away a stray lock of silver hair from Urd's head. The only thing preventing Urd from reaching up and biting the man was the devil resting its weight on her chest. And the knowledge of what it might do to her if she injured its host demon.

"Now, you've been a difficult little girl Urd. Running away, fighting, uncooperative…Such actions should not go unpunished, but…" He pulled his hand out of his pocket, and the syringe entered her line of sight once more. Urd's eyes widened in alarm. Damn it, the thing hadn't been destroyed in her spell!?

Her reaction to the object went unobserved, and the man above her continued uninterrupted. "…I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself. You see, no matter how you look at it, this little cocktail is going into you. _How_ it will enter, on the other hand, is entirely up to you."

The man grinned, revealing white teeth that seemed to stick out in a face that was bathed in shadow from his position over Urd. "Now, I was originally going to stick this little needle in your neck. You'd feel a little prick, and in a couple of minutes the potion would kick in, leaving the rest up to you." The smile faded, leaving behind a demon with a grim, dark expression on his face. "But after that stunt you pulled with the lightning and such, you've put me in something of a foul mood."

"And when that happens…" The demon trailed off, and suddenly the syringe was coming down at her, the needle aimed for her right eye. Urd screamed, squeezing her eyes shut and bracing herself for the blinding pain that would accompany the needle.

It never came.

Cautiously, Urd peeked her left eye open, finding the syringe and the hand wrapped around it hovering mere inches from her flesh. Slowly, she opened her other eye. With the current proximity of the needle hovering over her eye, Urd could just make out the small hole through which the liquid held within would flow out of.

The demon above her leaned in closer, his lips nearing her ear, close enough that she could feel his hot breath grazing her flesh. "And when that happens," he repeated, voice soft and low, barely above a whisper. "I tend to miss my target."

The dark eyed man drew back, and with it, much to Urd's relief, the needle as well. The pinned goddess took several deep, ragged breaths, trying to calm her rapidly beating, panicked heart. The devil resting her chest didn't make the process any easier.

The braided demon waited until her breathing calmed, looking down at her thoughtfully before speaking once more. "So what will it be Little Daimakaicho?" He asked. "In the neck, like a good little girl? Or through the eye?"

Urd glared at him, wanting to spit in his face but finding her mouth, her throat, suddenly dry. "You're a class one bastard, you know that?" The silver haired woman hissed, violet eyes alight with rage, and behind that, fear. If only she could get this devil off her, find and break the seal that was now preventing her from calling on her magic. If only…

If only indeed. Would have, should have, could have…none of that mattered. She needed to focus on the present, what was happening to her _now_. Not what she could have done to change the results, not what she _wanted_ to do, but couldn't. It all came down to that damned needle. And if it was worth loosing an eye over.

A small part of her screamed, seeming to rant and rave about the injustice of her situation, of the futility, the _unfairness of it all._ A part that screamed in defiance, in rage, in hate and fear and desperation, before falling silent.

Urd took a deep breath, letting it out in a long, drawn out hiss, indigo eyes screwing shut tightly before opening once more, reluctant resignation in her eyes. Amethyst met obsidian, and the demon above her nodded. "I see you've made your choice then. Now be a good girl and hold still."

The braided man drew close once more, and Urd looked away, instead turning her gaze to the snake-like devil still sitting on her chest, the creature little more then a living statue since having pinned her to the rooftop. Even now, it regarded her silently, its only movement being a swish of its tail. The Norn glared at it, heated indigo meeting equally heated red.

_Don't think I'll forget this, beast. _She thought. _When I'm free, I _will_ make you and your master pay for this, doublet system be damned._ She felt a small prick in her neck, and something inside her flared up in rage. _I don't know who you and your host are, what I've done to warrant your attention, but have no doubt, this isn't over._ Had it been her imagination, of had the devil drawn back slightly? Had that really been a flash of fear, of hesitation, that she'd seen behind those bright red eyes or wishful thinking on her part? Devils could no more read the thoughts of other entities then angels could. Yet she was fairly sure _this_ devil had managed to pick up, if not her thoughts, then her emotions, on some sort of wavelength.

The fear-if it had indeed been fear-was a small bit of comfort, on Urd's part.

A rustle of cloth brought her attention back to the demon, and bright violet eyes darted to the man once more. The dark haired demon stood, staring down at the now empty syringe in his hand. Sensing her gaze, the man met her eyes, and a smile lit upon his features once more. "There now, that wasn't so hard, was it? See what happens when you cooperate?"

He made a gesture to the devil on Urd's chest, and the creature rose with a hiss, releasing its hold on the silver haired woman's shoulders. It slithered off the rest of Urd's body and to its master. Large wings folded around its body, and the creature sank into its host demon, disappearing from sight.

The devil gone, Urd quickly sat up, scrambling to her feet as she bared her teeth in an enraged snarl at the demon in front of her. Hands curling into fists, she lunged at the braided man, fully intent on making the demon _hurt_ for that damned needle. The dark eyed man easily ducked the wild swing, backing away from Urd and towards the rooftops edge, dark amusement dancing in his eyes.

The action only further angered the woman, and with an enraged scream, Urd lashed out once more. The man backed further out of her reach, and Urd found herself fervently wishing that the seal holding back her magic was nonexistent. What she wouldn't give to blast this guy to the next existence! Another punch, and another and another, and then the man was off the rooftop, floating in the air several feet away from her.

Unable to follow further without her magic, Urd came to a halt at the rooftops edge, hands clenching and unclenching from fists as she pondered on just how far a leap would be necessary for her to grab the demon and tear him from the sky.

"Damn you!" The Norn snarled. "Come back here so I can rip you a new asshole, you son of a bitch!" She didn't want to admit it, but Urd was scared. A potion master herself, the goddess knew that it would take several minutes for the substance inside her to go into affect, even when directly injected into her blood. But in her current state of fear and anger, her heart racing a mile a minute, there was no doubt in Urd's mind that the potion would go into affect all that much sooner.

In front of her, the braided demon wagged a finger at her. "Now now, where's your manners Urd? If you're going to speak so rudely to me, I won't tell you what to expect now that the potion is in your veins." Dark eyes narrowed at her. "And you wouldn't want that now, would you?"

A frustrated growl rose from Urd's throat, and she glared at the demon, nails biting into her palms painfully as hands clenched tightly together. The goddess was dimly aware of the fact that she was trembling, though be it from rage or fear or an automatic side affect of the potion, Urd wasn't sure. She took several deep breaths, trying desperately to calm herself. Now wasn't the time to loose control. "What is going to happen to me?" She asked, her voice strong and steady, veiling the anxiety that swirled just under the surface.

The man frowned, the mask of amusement falling away and revealing a seriousness that Urd hadn't yet seen in the demon until that point. "It all depends on you Urd. It takes at least five minutes for the potion to go into affect upon injection, two of which you've already used up in that little assault of yours." Urd felt the color drain from her face as the man crossed his arms over his chest. "From there, well…nothing, I suppose, if you can stay out of your sisters' sights." He shrugged. "If not…" He trailed off, leaving Urd's imagination to fill in the blanks.

The goddess squeezed her eyes shut as her mind filled with unbidden images. Feeling her heart pick up its pace once more, the woman took a deep breath, letting it out slowly before opening her eyes once more, regarding the man hovering in front of her with a frown. "I don't understand this." She hissed. "Who are you? Why are you doing this? Why are you even _telling _me this?" With each question her voice rose in pitch, to the point where the last question came out in a scream.

The man's expression hardened at her questions and a frown that could have matched hers appeared on his face. "My name is Vikoka." He said, voice soft and rumbling and reminding Urd of gravel crunching beneath feet. "And my reasons are my own, though I'm sure that if you took the time to try and _remember_, you'd suddenly find the answer to your question." Dark eyes narrowed to slits, and Urd could see a rage inside that seemed to be directed not at her, but at someone else. "All I'll say to you is that, in the end, I want to see someone suffer greatly. And you, my dear, are merely a means to that end."

Vikoka paused, allowing his words to sink in. And then, his voice soft, almost…gentle, he said, "You have one minute left. When I'm gone, so too will be the seal holding your magic. I suggest you think very carefully on your next course of action."

The braided man took a moment more to regard her, and then he was gone, vanishing in a swirl of red magic and leaving Urd alone on the rooftop, haunted with thoughts and images of just _what _was going to happen to her. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she felt her magic flare up briefly inside her. The returning presence was something of a comfort, but in her current situation, it seemed of little use.

"Urd, calm down. You need to think." The goddess said to herself, a small bubble of panic welling inside her as a mental clock began ticking down the time she had left. The demon-Vikoka, was it? - had said that the potion wouldn't do anything so long as she didn't see her sisters. But what did that mean? Affect her _how_? "Damn it all…" There were too many question, too many possibilities, and not enough answers to fill her needs.

Anxiously, the platinum haired goddess looked off in the direction of the Morisato Shrine. Her last spell had been like a beacon, she recalled, and had been one of the reasons she'd cast that spell in particular. Urd had known that Belldandy would sense the spell, and there was no doubt within the violet eyed woman's mind that her younger sister would be quick to rush to the source.

But now…

Urd took a deep breath, pushing down on the bubble of fear swelling in her gut and running a bronze hand through her hair. "Okay, first things first." She said. "Assuming what that bastard said is true, the first thing I need to do is get off this rooftop. I need to put some sort of distance between myself and Belldandy, and then I need to find a phone. I need to warn the others about what happened, maybe find out a way to create an antidote for this potion or something."

Hild had created it, right? Maybe she could help…Quickly Urd shook her head. No, she reasoned. The situation wasn't _that_ bad. Not yet, at least. "Maybe I can get in contact with someone in heaven." Urd mused, her magic threading through her and allowing the goddess to rise into the air. "Maybe they'll have an incident like this listed in Yggdrasil or…something…"

The goddess paused in her thoughts, just as a wave of unbridled terror washed through her body. The Norn of the Past went ridged, violet eyes growing wide with horror. Something was wrong…something was-

"I-it's inside me…" She whispered, a wild, frenzied look entering her eyes. "It's inside me!" The goddess screamed, arms wrapping around herself in a terrified embrace, doubling over in midair as though in pain. "Get it out get it _out get it out_!" She howled, twisting and squirming in the air and no doubt creating quite a spectical for any mortal who bothered to look up at the sky for the source of the shouts.

How had _it_ gotten inside her? What was _it _doing in her? And _why wouldn't it leave!?_ "Get out get out get out!" The goddess screamed, dancing in the air as she fought to look behind her, whirling around to face something that only she seemed to be aware of.

And then a light appeared from Urd's back, and World of Elegance emerged from her place within her host, a look of horror mimicking Urd's on her face, her mouth open in a silent, terrified scream.

A pair or wild violet eyes met a pair of frenzied black and blue.

There was a pause, and goddess and angel regarded each other as though meeting one another for the first time.

And then Urd's expression darkened, an alien emotion entering her features, violet eyes hardening into amethysts that glinted dangerously in the afternoon sun. "Angel…" The words came out softly, a whisper to the screams that had been torn from Urd's throat mere seconds ago.

"Die."

If it was possible, World of Elegance's eyes widened further, and Urd lunged at the angel, an expression that could only be defined as murder on her face. Quickly, the black winged angel darted to the side and out of her goddess's path, watching in shock as Urd flew by her.

The Norn quickly came to a halt in the air, wheeling around to face the angel with an enraged snarl on her face. A fierce, animalistic like shriek escaped the woman's throat, and Urd lunged again, her right hand curled in a claw-like manner as she descended upon her angel once more.

The potion had gone into affect.

Though not in the way Vikoka had planned.

~*~

"Damn it Urd, what the hell have you gotten yourself into this time?" Mara asked aloud, a deep scowl on her face as she flew to her destination. Nothing but the roaring wind answered her question. Not even five minutes after catching a glimpse of Urd's spell, Mara had caught a hint of several foreign demons in the area. What the demons were doing in the area she'd laid claim to, Mara didn't know.

What she did know was that the residual magic that had alerted her to the demons' presence was growing stronger the closer she came to Urd, something that ushered in something like worry in the back of her mind.

Were the demons the cause of Hild's frenzy? She was pretty sure the Daimakaicho would have said something if Hild was employing several new demons to the area, if only so that Mara wouldn't assault them on sight. But Hild had said nothing, and the more Mara dwelled on it, the more on edge she became. Right now, all she wanted was to find Urd and prove to herself that the thrice-cursed goddess was alright.

Unfortunately, her wish was about to be granted in a rather undesirable way.

Two figures made their way into Mara's vision, and the demon was startled to see a pair of wings sprouting from one of the flying beings steadily making their way towards her. The duo appeared to be fighting-no, wait, that wasn't right, it was more of one being chased…_hunted_ by the other-and as the two came closer into view, Mara came to a stunned halt.

It was Urd. Urd was attacking…was that her angel!? Urd was attacking her angel, swooping and diving at the divine creature like a hawk or a falcon attacking a pigeon. The angel-what had Urd called her? World of Elegance?-seemed to be holding her own against the crazed goddess, easily ducking and dodging each of Urd's attacks.

It probably helped that the tattooed angel knew Urd's actions before the goddess had a chance to put them into play-a small advantage of being connected to the platinum haired woman.

However, as Mara drew closer, it became increasingly obvious to the demon that, for all her speed, the angel was quickly tiring. The angel's chest was rising and falling rapidly, and her mouth hung slightly agape, the angel panting as she sought to catch her breath. There was no telling how much longer World of Elegance could continue her evasion. How long had this been going on? What the hell was Urd doing?

"Urd!" Mara snarled, gaining the attention of both angel and goddess as she flew closer to them. "Have you lost you mind? I thought you said that thing was your angel. What the hell are you doing attacking it? Are you suicidal or something?" The demon moved to station herself between Urd and her angel, blocking the goddess from her target and sending the Norn a heated red glare.

Behind her, Mara could hear the labored breathing of World of Elegance, and the demon frowned. Something wasn't right. Urd…something in Urd's eyes…She'd seen that look somewhere before…

And then Urd snarled at her, charging the demon without warning and ramming into both Mara and the tiring angel at her back. Startled by the sudden action, crimson eyes widened in surprise, and briefly, Mara lost her concentration on her magic. The demon dropped several feet before she regained her focus, suddenly all too aware as of where she'd seen that look before.

That total lack of recognition in Urd's eyes…lack of understanding, with eyes glazed with a berserkers rage and unfocused, unaware of the world around her…it was like staring into the eyes of a beast.

And Mara hadn't seen eyes like that since her grandfather had gone berserk, long, long ago in a world that time seemed to have forgotten.

Mara out of her way, Urd had once again turned her attention back to World of Elegance, and with a vicious snarl, the goddess lunged for the angel, violet eyes filled with an uncontrollable fury that filled the angel Urd played host to with fear. And then a hand wrapped around World of Elegance's ankle, and Mara pulled the tattooed being out of Urd's path, launching the black and white haired angel to the ground.

Black and white wings flared open, and World of Elegance righted herself, looking upwards just in time to witness Mara launch a fist that danced with furious red sparks into Urd's gut. The goddess doubled over with a gasp, and with it, World of Elegance let loose a silent moan, tattooed arms wrapping around her stomach as a phantom pain traveled across the link she shared with Urd.

"Urd, snap out of it!" Mara snarled, backing away and allowing the goddess to catch her breath as the trio hovered in the air around each other. "I don't want to fight you like this, especially when I know your sisters are right behind me. Don't make me do this!"

Urd's only response was an enraged growl. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a voice screamed. The one before her…she was of Slayer-kin as well. How _dare_ this demon-a _third-gen_, no less-interfere with her kill! As a second-generation Angel Slayer, she had authority over the demon in front of her. What was the fool doing, preventing her from killing her prey?

"_Get out of my way._" The words were in demon tongue, lined with a thick accent that came with one who had not spoken the language in ages. Mara blinked, more then a little surprised that Urd still spoke the language, and even more confused over the fact that the goddess chose to address her in such a manner.

"Urd?"

Movement out of the corner of her eye caused Mara to turn slightly. World of Elegance was approaching the two women, frenzied eyes locked on Urd's form as she grew ever closer to the duo. And just what the hell was _she_ doing? Urd was trying to kill her-what _possible_ reason could the angel have on wanting to return to her half-mad host?

The questions were never answered, for as the angel drew close, Mara caught the flash of light reflecting off metal from Urd's direction. The demon swore violently, launching herself once more at the stupid creature just as Urd came at the tattooed being, this time with a _knife_ in hand.

The stab that was initially aimed for the angel's chest instead grazed both Mara's and World of Elegance's arms, slicing easily through the fabric of Mara's shirt and drawing blood-or something similar to it-from both the demon and the angel. Three pained cries filled the city sky, and Urd recoiled from her assault, her free hand moving to cover her left arm, despite the fact that there was no visible sign of any sort of wound on the goddess's part.

Across from her, World of Elegance struggled desperately to escape Mara's grasp, a shallow graze on her left arm that mirrored the area Urd was covering. Mara, her own arm wounded in her effort to protect the divine being in her hold, refused to allow the angel her freedom. Ignoring the pain that now graced her right arm, the demon forced both the angel and herself further away from Urd, trying desperately to maintain something of a safe distance between herself, the thrice-cursed, suicidal angel in her arms, and the goddess who'd decided to go Angel Slayer on both their asses.

Behind her, Urd released her grip on her shoulder, lightly shaking the limb and checking to see if any further damage had been done. Finding the pain only flared up marginally when moved in a particular manner, the crazed woman returned her attention to her target.

Mara took no notice of the woman, her thoughts racing with the intensity of a small whirlwind in her mind as the blonde demon sought to come up with a plan. _Stupid Urd._ The crimson eyed woman thought. _What she do to herself, anyways?_ The fanged woman grunted in pain as a lucky kick from World of Elegance slammed into her shin. _Stupid, crazy angel._ _And here I always wondered why it was Slayers killed angels. Are all these things born without common sense, or are they naturally this suicidal?_

The demon looked over her shoulder, finding Urd coming at her once more, knife in hand. The demon yelped, dropping her magic away from her body and allowing gravity to take hold, yanking both herself and the Urd's angel out of the path of the blade. The demon heard a frustrated outcry from above her head, and then her view was obstructed by a pair of black and white wings.

Mara cursed once more, releasing World of Elegance and allowing the angel to soar above her towards Urd before letting her magic kick in once more. Flight granted to her once more, the demon once again chased after the angel, this time latching a hold of World of Elegance's wings. Her hands positioned in the area where shoulder blade met feathers, the demon pulled back, preventing the tattooed angel from going any further and almost causing the entity to flip head over heels in the air.

And none to late, either, as the knife in Urd's possession sailed through the space World of Elegance's head would have been had Mara not grabbed her.

"Damn it Urd!"

The situation was not going well. And where both Mara and World of Elegance were quickly tiring from their struggles with not just each other, but Urd's aggressive, almost spontaneous attacks as well, the goddess in question seemed to have energy to spare.

Using a strength aided all that much more by her magic, Mara shoved the angel in her grasp downwards, using her grip on World of Elegance's wings to control the angel's path of flight. Urd sailed over the duo's head, her face curled into an angry snarl as demon and angel eluded her once more.

The only good thing about the situation seemed to be based on the fact that for all her aggression, Urd was using little magic outside of the power holding her afloat. Had the Norn been sane enough to think to use her abilities, there was little doubt in Mara's mind that the chase-not a fight, this whole thing was little more then a game of cat and mouse from Mara's perspective-would be over in a heartbeat. That and the fact that Urd's blows, even with a knife in hand, were wild and sloppy. Even someone who wasn't trained in hand to hand combat could avoid the blows if they put their mind to it, and Mara, who actually _did_ have some skill in that area, found it easy to duck and dodge out of the path of Urd's blade.

It would have been even easier had she not had a thrice-cursed angel to deal with as well.

But the chase couldn't go on forever-not at the rate it was already going at. Sooner or later, either Mara was going to have to change tactics, or she was going to screw up, and send everything to hell. It was only a matter of time before someone gained the upper hand.

~*~

A/N: Damn…this chapter felt like it just wouldn't _end_ for me. Thank the gods it's finally over with. Anyways, here's the next chapter, and hopefully I haven't confused you all to the point of just hitting the 'back' button or anything like that. Questions, comments, complaints, you all know the drill by now.

Also, for some weird reason I actually drew up a scene for this chapter. If you go into my profile and click the homepage link, you should be directed to my devientart account, where you can check out my half-assed attempt at the pic. Don't ask me why I drew it-it was completely spur of the moment, and it'll probably be the only one of its kind.

And one last thing: For those wondering about the name of Vikoka's devil- _Jaharil_ is supposed to mean 'poisonous' in…Hindi, I believe it's called. At least, I hope so. One can never be sure with online translators.


	10. Dancing on a Knife's Edge

Angel Biter

Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Her arm was alight with a burning pain the likes of which she'd never felt before. Her heart was a dull, constant roar that echoed in her ears, and her breath came out in short, quick gasps. The base of her wings ached from where the demon held her, throbbing in time with her heart. She was blind to the world around her, her field of vision having narrowed to one thing and one thing only, and that was to return to Urd, to somehow get her host to recognize her, to remember her, to do _something_.

But the cursed demon refused to grant World of Elegance her freedom, and the angel released a scream of equal parts irritation, rage, and fear. However, the ears of demons were not sharp enough to hear the voice of an angel, and her cry went unheard, seen by Mara as little more then a parting of lips and an expulsion of breath. Foolish demon! Could she not see that she needed to return to Urd? Her goddess was suffering!

She could hear Mara's breath, slowly growing ragged as she unwillingly fought off two opponents, trying with all her might to avoid both the swipes of Urd's blade-did the demon recognize the Angel Biter? Were the renewed seals Urd had placed upon the blade preventing the demon from seeing it for what it was? Or had so much time passed that she'd forgotten it?-and World of Elegance's flailing limbs. For if anything else, while the angel was an unwilling captive, she was not one that would not take to such a fate lying down.

The angel's legs kicked back at the demon, her arms reaching back to claw at flesh and cloth, searching for grip and digging her nails into whatever area her hands found purchase in. However, Mara was a clever demon, if nothing else, and World of Elegance was quickly realizing that fact. Her backwards kicks met little more then the soles of heavily booted feet where Mara had tucked her legs up beneath her, becoming less of a target for the angel's wild blows. And as an angel, even one with such a unique host, World of Elegance lacked the talons her more devilish kin hosted. Her nails were weak in comparison, and her scratches were ignored, incapable of even breaking the skin of the demon clinging to her back like some overly large parasite.

Another yank from the area where feathers merged with flesh, and World of Elegance released another mute cry as both herself and Mara fell into a dive, affectively evading another assault from Urd. By the Powers that Be! Did the demon have no restraint? It felt like Mara was trying to rip the wings from her body! Even as they fell out of their dive World of Elegance could feel Mara's grip on her wings; tight and unyielding, fingers digging into the soft feathers of her wings and to the muscle below. The vice-like grip hurt, and once again World of Elegance found herself struggling to escape the fanged woman's grasp.

The demon uttered a violent curse once more, one that World of Elegance found herself agreeing with as Urd swooped down upon them once more. The goddess's violet eyes were alight with a madness that the tattooed being could feel through their shared link, and the angel couldn't repress the shudder that came from staring into them. She could almost see it through Urd's eyes- a world dyed blindingly red, holding a hazy consistency that made it difficult to focus on any one thing for too long. The world blurred around her peripheral vision, where buildings merged with sky and fused into one large blob that seemed to slowly encroach into her line of sight. Yet one thing remained constant, and that was World of Elegance who, in Urd's eyes, seemed to radiate forth a light which cut through the obscurity of the hazy world, creating a focal point which Urd took full advantage of, enraged, chaotic violet orbs drawn to the light the angel seemed to emit.

Another shriek tore through the air as Urd charged the duo, and while Mara and World of Elegance were fortunate enough to evade the downward slice from the Angel Biter, the following kick was not as easy to avoid. World of Elegance had sensed the follow up attack, and had tried desperately to move out of the path Urd's leg would follow, but Mara had remained oblivious to either divine being's intentions. Believing World of Elegance trying once more to escape her clutches and run to her death, Mara's grip on the dual haired angel's wings remained firm, and the kick connected with the angel's stomach, knocking World of Elegance into the demon at her back.

The blonde woman released a grunt at the unexpected attack, blinking startled crimson eyes as Mara peered over World of Elegance's shoulder. Urd was smirking. Despite the fact that the crazed goddess had an arm wrapped around her stomach-no doubt reeling from the phantom pain that had assaulted her as her kick had nailed her target-the Norn was smirking, and it filled Mara with a twisting unease and fear far greater then any Valkyrie could ever hope to create.

"You're kidding…you mean to tell me you're actually _learning _from this thing?" Mara asked aloud, her voice filled with disbelief as she stared at Urd's grinning face. For all the fact that the platinum haired woman showed no understanding of Mara's words, the smirk grew into a predatory smile, and Mara swallowed the sudden lump that had lodged itself in her throat.

Up until now, Urd's attacks had been singular at best. The goddess would rush Mara and World of Elegance, deliver a single blow-be it a punch, kick, or swipe with her knife-before retreating. Mara didn't understand the odd tactic-perhaps Urd was afraid of retaliation?-but hadn't questioned the blessing in disguise, instead gratefully accepting it and taking full advantage of Urd's questionable strategy.

But this…to take one swipe before following the failed attack with a kick? It showed a change in tactics, a sign that for all her madness, Urd was actually paying attention to what Mara and Elegance were doing. She was learning from her mistakes, albeit slowly-something Mara wouldn't have thought possible in Urd's current state of mind.

And if she was learning from her mistakes…The demon licked her lips, finding them suddenly dry. If Urd was changing tactics, then it made the Norn all that much more unpredictable, all that more dangerous. "Damn it." Mara hissed, her grip on World of Elegances wings tightening and causing the angel to renew her struggle for freedom. This wasn't good.

~*~

"Big Sister, do you see her yet?" Skuld all but screamed the question to Belldandy, finding herself forced to raise her voice over the loud roar of the wind.

Several feet in front of her, Belldandy shook her head, a deep, worried frown etched into her face. Her sapphire eyes were thick with concern as they darted from one area to the next, searching desperately for any sign of Urd. "Nothing yet!" She called back, trusting the wind to carry her words to Skuld.

The chestnut haired woman had changed her outfit from her usual 'house' clothes and into something a little more fitting for their current situation. Belldandy was now adorned in the blue and white outfit that spoke of her position in heaven, the billowing gown fluttering in the air as she raced on, senses open as she sought to pick up anything out of the ordinary.

Several feet behind her, Skuld followed on one of Urd's brooms. Like Belldandy, she had followed her older sister's example of changing into her uniform, and was following behind Belldandy as closely as possible. Banpei still being out of commission from water damage, the child had been forced to improvise for a means of transportation, still lacking the training that, even now, granted Belldandy flight.

The broom was not Stringfellow. No, such an arrogant thing was still well beyond Skuld's control. Instead it was one of Urd's older brooms-a voiceless, speedy little thing that, when Belldandy had explained the situation to it, had been more then willing to lend itself to Skuld. However, the different broom came at a price. Strawhair, as Belldandy called it, was no where near as fast as Stringfellow.

And while the broom was still incredibly fast in comparison to many brooms, as were most of the brooms Urd had created, it still could not keep up with Belldandy at full speed. As such, Belldandy had been forced to slow her speed to a more manageable one for the broom, lest she accidentally leave Skuld so far behind that the younger goddess could not follow her. It was a straining process, forcing herself to limit her speed. Especially when it felt as though all her instincts were ordering her to fly faster, to rush to Urd's side and help her older sister, despite the fact that Belldandy was still unsure if Urd was even in any real sort of danger.

It wore away at her nerves in a manner that reminded her of the Lord of Terror incident, or perhaps when Mara had separated Urd's goddess and demon halves. What would Belldandy find at the end of the line this time? It was a question that seemed to echo throughout Belldandy's mind, bouncing around in her skull like some strange rubber projectile and filling the Norn's mind's eye with fearful images.

She increased her speed.

Only to force herself to slow down as Skuld's cry of protest reached her ears, reminding Belldandy that she was not alone in her venture and that Skuld could not keep up at her current speed. Somewhere, in the farthest recesses of her mind, a voice screamed in frustration at the pace Belldandy was forcing herself to set. It went virtually unheard, however, the sky-eyed woman's concerns over her sister easily drowning out the small hint of frustration.

A wave of negative energy slashed across Belldandy's senses, and the Norn further slowed her flight. Where had that come from? Chestnut hair whipped across her face as Belldandy's head darted from one direction to another, desperately searching for the source of the energy.

Her flight having reached a speed manageable for Strawhair, Skuld came up from behind her. "What is it?" She asked, no amount of control capable of hiding the anxiety in her voice. "Did you find something?"

Belldandy took her time responding, devoting more of her attention towards the direction the demonic energy had come from rather then Skuld herself. "Demons…Skuld I think you might have been right." Where had it come from? Ah! There it was! "I felt Mara for a brief second. She's in the same direction as Urd." The goddess pointed in the direction Mara's energy signature was coming from-a soft, red trail that was barely visible to the blue eyed woman.

She missed the scowl that appeared on Skuld's face. "I bet she's trying some stupid experiment on Urd again." The younger girl growled out, silently willing the broom beneath her to fly faster. "I swear, that stupid demon never learns…" The child trailed off, and any further words were left behind to be lost on the wind as three figures darted into her vision.

The dark haired girl pointed. "Belldandy, look!" She cried.

Belldandy looked off in the direction Skuld was pointing, azure eyes narrowing against the glare of the sky as they focused on what Skuld was pointing at. And as the duo grew closer, the three figures grew clearer, as two pairs of eyes widened as it became clear as of what Belldandy and Skuld was witnessing. Neither realized their expressions were near mirror replicas of Mara's face when she'd come across Urd and World of Elegance.

The two younger siblings watched as the oldest of their kin dove at Mara and World of Elegance, only for the angel and demon to nimbly avoid the attack and quickly move out of striking distance.

Mara had a firm grip on World of Elegances wings, effectively holding onto the angel even as the tattooed entity fought to escape her clutches.

Belldandy looked at Skuld.

Skuld looked back.

The two sisters put two and two together.

And came up with five.

"Belldandy, what's Mara doing!? Why does she have World of Elegance?" Skuld cried, brown eyes wide as she watched Mara pull the unfortunate angel into a dive, once more avoiding a strike from Urd.

Belldandy shook her head, her own thoughts jumbled and confused at the scene before her. "I'm not sure Skuld. But we can't let this continue. We need to help Urd!" With that, the Norn of the Present launched herself at the trio, Mara's name on her lips as she announced her presence to the small group.

Skuld followed not a moment after, reaching into her tunic and withdrawing one of her many bombs, hefting it lightly before taking careful aim and launching the explosive at Mara.

Mara looked up at the sound of Belldandy calling her name, and a relived smile graced her features. The cavalry had finally arrived. "Belldandy!" She shouted. "I don't think I've ever been so happy to see your face. Listen to me, I need your help, Urd's gone-" The demon never had a chance to finish her sentence as a well-placed Skuld bomb hit her back.

The woman howled in pain as the explosive went off, red eyes widening as she lost her hold on World of Elegances wings and began what would no doubt become a rather painful reunion with the ground below. The blonde quickly righted herself, however, once more throwing a portion of her magic into flight and soaring back into the heavens. "You idiots!" She snarled, furious red eyes meeting a pair of smoldering brown and unyielding blue. "I'm not the one you should be-"

Again, Mara was cut off, as this time Belldandy attacked, a cyclone like wind barreling into the demon and sending her tumbling through the air.

"Skuld, you keep an eye on Mara. I'm going to check to make sure Urd is alright." Belldandy ordered, turning away from her younger sister after the child nodded in understanding.

"Come on Mara! I've got some new inventions I've been _dying_ to try out!"

Belldandy tuned her sister out, diverting her attention away from her younger sibling and the demon, confident that Skuld could hold her own against the fanged woman. Instead she focused on Urd, and a small, troubled expression wormed its way onto Belldandy's face. Even with the arrival of herself and Skuld, Urd had yet to speak a word to her, be it in greetings or warning-something unusual for the silver haired goddess.

Even now, her older sister regarded her silently, an unreadable expression on her face as Urd hovered several feet away from her. "Urd? Are you alright?" Belldandy took careful note of the weapon clutched tightly in Urd's hand, and her eyes drifted to World of Elegance, who fluttered halfway between Urd and herself, as though unsure of what to do. _Why hasn't World of Elegance returned to Urd yet?_

Surely with Mara's grip on the angel broken, World of Elegance would have quickly returned to her host goddess, right? So why was the angel so hesitant? The tattooed being hovered in front of the two siblings, strong beats of white and black wings keeping her aloft as she looked from one goddess to the other. In Belldandy's eyes, it almost appeared as though the angel wanted to tell her something. But the younger Norn could no more understand World of Elegance then could Mara, and so any hidden meaning within the angel's dual eyes remained unannounced.

The brown haired Norn looked from the angel to the goddess and back again, the feeling of unease that had laid siege to her chest when she'd born witness to Urd's magic returning with full force. She was missing something, she was sure of it. Cobalt eyes darted back and forth between the two beings. _What is she doing?_ She silently wondered. _It's almost as though she wants to warn me of something, but what?_ Her lips thinned into a small line. _But wait…I may not be capable of understanding her, but Holy Bell_ _can._

A small smile lit up Belldandy's features as the thought entered her mind. Yes! She couldn't, but Holy Bell could! Her angel could translate what World of Elegance was saying, and then maybe she could gain some sort of grasp on just _what _was happening. With a deep breath, Belldandy closed her eyes, focusing on the winged being that dwelled within her body. Slowly, Holy Bell's wings began to emerge from her back.

She missed the widening of World of Elegance's eyes. No! Another angel was the last thing they needed. The emergence of Holy Bell would only drive Urd further into the depths of insanity!

She missed the narrowing of Urd's eyes. Yes…it had proven advantageous to wait with the arrival of New Prey on the battlegrounds. Let the foolish goddess bring out her angel-she would only fall that much faster. Urd tightened her grip on her weapon. She had been uncertain when the new arrivals had entered the scene. A small part of her had even been hesitant, unsure of how to regard the duo. But now, with the wings of an angel slowly emerging from the brown haired one's back, Urd knew what had to be done.

Perhaps this new angel would be an easier target then the other one.

Unfortunately, Urd never got the chance to put her plan into action. For as Holy Bell's wings sprouted to their full length from Belldandy's back, a large, black blur slammed into her side, destroying Belldandy's concentration and knocking the goddess from the sky.

Blue eyes flew open in surprise, and a yelp tore its way from Belldandy's throat. Holy Bell's wings disappeared into her once more, and Belldandy looked to her impacted side. The black blur turned out to be Mara. Her arms now wrapped around Belldandy's waist, the demon all but dragged the goddess away from Urd and World of Elegance, her face a masked of half-crazed panic.

"Mara!? What are you doing?"

The demon looked more then a little disheveled, no doubt the result of several direct hits from Skuld's weapons. Wild red eyes locked onto Belldandy's blue ones, and the goddess felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Belldandy could only recall one time she'd seen such an expression on the blonde demon's face, and a feeling of dread rose in the pit of her stomach.

"Belldandy, if you hold anything to the friendship we once had as children, you'll listen to me." Mara's voice was rough and desperate, filled with a pleading similar to what she'd heard when Mara had come injured to the Morisato shrine, desperate to reunite Urd's goddess and demon halves. "Listen Bell. I don't know what happened, but Urd's gone crazy. I don't know how, I don't know why, but for whatever reason, she thinks she's an Angel Slayer."

Behind her, Belldandy could hear Skuld's angry cry, upset that the demon had left her for Belldandy and demanding that Mara leaver her older sister alone. From the corner of her eye, the Norn of the Present could catch a glimpse of the younger girl's outfit trailing along the edge of her vision, no doubt trying to catch up with Mara and Belldandy.

Mara's revelation came as a shock to Belldandy, and blue eyes widened as the middle sister's head whipped around, passing over an angry Skuld and to where Urd hovered. An enraged snarl had ignited on Urd's face at Mara's intrusion, and as Belldandy's eyes met hers, they narrowed viciously. "So please, for the love of the powers that be, _do not_ bring out your angel!"

An explosion went off above the duo's heads, and with a yelp Mara's grip around Belldandy's waist vanished. "And would you call off that heathen you call a sister already? I'm on your side this time!" Before Belldandy had a chance to respond, Mara was off once again, leaving the goddess behind in favor of escaping yet another Skuld Bomb that went off over her head.

Belldandy slowed her pace to a halt in the air, watching Mara speed off and almost missing the red blur that was Skuld. Quickly, the older sister reached a hand out, fingers entwining around the right sleeve of Skuld's uniform and almost yanking the girl from her broom.

Skuld yelped at the action, swerving from her path after Mara and dropping the bomb she was currently wielding. The explosive fell to the ground, where it would have exploded upon the heads of various innocent bystanders had it not been for the simple, lucky fact that the bomb had already been triggered to explode when it had fallen from Skuld's grasp. Instead, the bomb exploded several feet below the two sisters, where the remaining shrapnel fell harmlessly to the earth below.

Neither of the sisters noticed the undesired attention the explosion brought with it.

"Hey! Belldandy, what are you doing?" Skuld pulled at her arm, sending Belldandy a befuddled look as the older goddess released her hold on Skuld's sleeve.

"Skuld, I don't think Mara is our problem at the moment." Belldandy responded, pointing to Urd, who, after a beastly snarl to her younger sisters, returned to her game of cat and mouse with World of Elegance. If she squinted, Belldandy could just make out the flash of the Angel Biter in Urd's hand.

She turned back to Skuld. The girl's eyes had grown wide with alarm at Urd's strange attitude, and the child had tensed to the point where her grip on Strawhair was white knuckled. A small part of Belldandy wondered what was playing through her younger sister's mind at that moment, wondering if had something to do with yesterday's incident, and quickly Belldandy shoved it off to one side. Now was not the time for such things.

Gently, she rested a hand on Skuld's shoulder. The dark haired girl still jumped at her touch however, and startled, Skuld's head whipped around to face her. "What's wrong with Urd, Belldandy? Why is she attacking World of Elegance?"

Belldandy shook her head, unsure of how to explain the situation to her younger sister. "I'm not sure Skuld. But we need to stop her before she hurts herself." The woman frowned, lips thinning into little more then a line on her face. "I think I may have a plan, but I need you and Mara to help."

The girl frowned at the mention of Mara, her gaze drifting to where the demon hovered several feet away from them, eyeing the two goddesses anxiously before looking up to Urd when Skuld's eyes met hers. Dark eyes returned to Belldandy's and Skuld nodded. "Fine. Tell me what we need to do."

~*~

Urd howled in frustration as the angel before her evaded yet another swipe of her knife. How was it possible for this creature to predict her every attack? Such a thing should have been impossible, yet this creature was doing just that. And that voice…she'd been hearing whispers in the back of her mind, crying out to her, pleading with her, yet for the life of her, Urd couldn't understand what was being said. It only further sparked the rage that had ignited deep within her at the sight of the angel, a raging fire that coursed through her veins and awoke something primal deep within her.

The angel dropped into a dive, wings a flurry of motion as the divine being preformed aerial feats that Urd could never hope to mimic, twisting and turning in the air as the tattooed creature deftly avoided the blade of her knife. The woman dove after her prey, releasing a primal scream that awoke memories of days when demons were once the monsters Vikoka had spoken of; beasts with fur, feathers, scales, skin and fangs, claws, talons and viciously curved beaks.

She'd lost track of the others on the makeshift battlefield. The demon had been discarded from her mind when the little goddess had made it clear that there was no affection for the woman in the form of explosions. Those had been distracting to the point where Urd had stopped in her pursuit of the angel altogether, watching with unveiled interest as godling and demon had chased one another in much the same way she had the angel. Of course, it hadn't held her attention for long. After the demon had collided with the other goddess, things had grown boring from that point on, and she'd returned her attention to her prey when it became apparent that neither goddesses were about to relinquish their angels to her blade.

The crazed entity readied herself for another attack, shifting her grip on her blade ever so slightly. Likewise, she could see-almost _sense_ her target doing the same, rising ever so slightly to take the full advantage of one wind current, angling her wings in _just_ the right manner as to quickly avoid any oncoming attacks.

Neither beings, however, would get the opportunity to throw their abilities into play.

An explosion roared into existence over Urd's and World of Elegance's heads, startling both angel and goddess and temporarily blinding and deafening the duo. Urd cried out in anger, raising her arms to shield her eyes from the light that had accompanied the explosion. Her attention from World of Elegance destroyed once again, she never saw Mara and Skuld baring down on the unfortunate angel and pulling the odd-winged being further away from Urd.

The whispering in her head grew more insistent and, though blind, Urd lashed out once more, perhaps thinking that in doing so the goddess might find the true source of the voice and end it's intrusion on her mind. Her blows were even more wild and chaotic then before, and they hit nothing but air as Skuld and Mara dragged World of Elegance away from her host goddess.

Both divine and damned beings found themselves pushed to their limits trying to control the angel, who's actions had grown as frantic as Urd's upon being blinded. Somehow, perhaps with a strength lent only to those forced to partner up for a greater good, Skuld and Mara managed to keep the angel under their control.

"She's all yours Belldandy!" Mara shouted, confusing the angel that was once again in her hold. "Now Skuld, listen very carefully. I need you to keep a firm hold on her left wing, right _here_…"

As Mara went about lecturing Skuld in Angel Captivity 101, Belldandy came up behind Urd. Her strength with the wind kept her movements silent, even though she didn't need it-it would take several minutes for the affects of Skuld's new shock bomb to wear off-and wrapped her arms gently but firmly around Urd's upper torso. Urd's reaction was instantaneous.

The crazed goddess let out a snarl of a yelp before struggling violently in Belldandy's grasp, struggling to free herself from her younger sister's hold. Belldandy refused to release her grip, lips thinning into a thin line of determination and cobalt eyes narrowing in concentration.

Urd kicked backwards at her, landing a blow to Belldandy's left shin that left her leg humming painfully. The silver haired goddess thrashed, her head moving foreword only to come sailing back at Belldandy's in an effort to stun the goddess. Belldandy bowed her head slightly in retaliation, and the back of Urd's skull came crashing onto Belldandy's forehead rather then the nose the younger Norn was _sure_ Urd was attempting to break.

The duo's skulls crashed together, and Urd yelped in pain. Belldandy's face fell into a grimace, but still the brown haired woman held her sister, refusing to give the older woman the slack she needed to escape her embrace. The woman's head swiveled to one side, then the next, one wild, maniac indigo eye meeting Belldandy's. Teeth gnashed together, as though Urd was attempting to bite her, and spittle flew from her mouth and onto the goddess at her back.

Yet still Belldandy refused to budge, her grip around Urd steadily growing tighter as Urd's thrashing grow more and more violent. The younger woman squeezed her eyes shut, trying with all her might to block out the terrifying cries erupting from Urd's throat.

Her consciousness removed itself from the outside world, leaving only a small portion of herself to keep hold on Urd as Belldandy slowly, almost painstakingly so, searched her memories for one of the few things she thought to be of use in her-their-current situation.

The corner of one lip quirked upwards in what might have been a smile when she found what she was searching for.

And that's when the singing began.

The song started of softly, wordless, little more then a melody that was just above a whisper. It gradually grew in pitch and soon words fell into the song, the language they hailed from impossibly old and indecipherable to any who happened upon them. The notes rose and fell to an unknown rhythm, filling one's mind with images of rolling fields and cloudless blue skies.

It sang of a mother's embrace, the kiss of a loved one, the elation of one's first flight, and millions of other feelings. It was a song Skuld had never heard before, one that brought forth a feeling of peace and reassurance that settled over her like a warm blanket. And it was not just affecting her, either.

With each word sung, Urd's thrashing grew less and less violent. No longer was the elder goddess trying to wound her younger sister, and as the song continued, her struggles to return to freedom faded as well. It was as if the woman was loosing any desire to fight.

World of Elegance was much the same way. From where she gripped the angel's left wing while balancing precariously on her broom, Skuld could sense the angel slowly calming under her and Mara's grip. The tension that had filled the angel slowly drained from her body, the tattooed being relaxing to the point where Skuld was almost afraid World of Elegance would stop putting forth the effort needed to hold herself aloft. Like Urd, her wild thrashings slowly dissipated into nothing, leaving Skuld with the distinct impression of supporting a human sized rag doll had it not been for the constant beat of wings.

And it was around that same time that Mara unexpectedly dropped from the sky.

Her attention so heavily focused on her two sisters and World of Elegance, Skuld hadn't even realized that whatever affects the song had on Urd and her angel also seemed to be affecting the demon that was her temporary ally. "What…Mara!?" The demon's grip on World of Elegance's right wing slackened, and the woman fell from the sky, red eyes glazed as though in some sort of trance, completely oblivious to her surroundings.

"Oh no." Despite any misgivings Skuld had towards the older demon, the girl still recognized Mara as a temporary comrade, and for the moment, didn't want to see the blonde get hurt. Skuld released her hold on World of Elegance, leaving the angel to fend for herself before dipping her broom into a dive and plummeting after Mara.

"Mara you idiot, wake up! Now's not the time to be taking a nap!" Skuld shouted, an alarmed expression on her face that only grew when the demon didn't so much as twitch at her words. The child reached out, fingers catching hold of Mara's right sleeve and almost yanking the girl from her broom at the unexpected weight.

Skuld yelped. It felt like her arm was being ripped from its socket! "Come _on _Mara! What is wrong with you?" The girl all but screamed, only then taking notice of the strange ripping sound that was almost inaudible in the deafening wind. Dark eyes darted to the source of the noise, widening further as she saw the tear in the upper right sleeve of the demon's outfit.

It was the same tear that had been afflicted on Mara's person upon Urd's withdrawal of the Angel Biter. And with Skuld gripping nothing but the torn cloth, the rip was growing.

There was an almost sickening _shripp_, and then Mara was falling faster once more, a Skuld on the brink of panic holding nothing but the torn sleeve of Mara's outfit. "Mara!"

It was World of Elegance, of all people, who came to Mara's rescue. Somewhere between the time of Mara's sudden descent and Skuld's chase after her, the angel must have taken note of the fact that something was _not quite right_ with the world around her. Somewhere around the time Skuld had caught hold of Mara's sleeve, the angel had noticed the problem between godling and demon, and had fallen, in a somewhat drunken manner, after the duo.

The angel fell past Skuld, causing the younger goddess to yelp in surprise as the tattooed being passed her by, and easily caught up with the red eyed woman. Unsteadily, the angel wrapped her arms around the demon's waist, slowing their descent before stopping it altogether. Her wing beats were uneven and shaky as the angel flew back up to Skuld, who watched the odd duo with eyes that looked ready to pop out of their skull.

"World of Elegance?"

The angel's movements were slow and erratic, as though the dual eyed being were fighting off exhaustion or the effects of some drug. Bleary eyes looked at Skuld, and the angel jerked her head off in one direction. Skuld turned off to face the direction the angel was motioning in, finding Belldandy and an Urd that looked barely conscious of her surroundings lightly touching down on a nearby rooftop. Skuld looked back to World of Elegance, nodding in understanding and a small, concerned frown etching itself onto her face. "Uh…okay. Do you need any help with Mara?" She asked.

The angel made a face that resembled Urd so much it was scary before shaking her head, stubbornly turning and flying off towards her host goddess and Belldandy. Belldandy's song had long since come to an end, and with it, World of Elegance's movements grew more stable and less like the unsteady gait of a drunk. Dark eyebrows grew together in concern, and silently Skuld followed after her sister's angel. _What was that song?_

A few minutes later, and the trio were touching down a few feet away from Belldandy and Urd. The chestnut haired woman had shifted her grip on her sister, and was now supporting an Urd who looked to be in a similar state as Mara. The elder goddess leaned heavily against her sister, breath erratic and coming out in quick, short gasps as she stared at the world through heavily glazed violet eyes.

"Belldandy, something's wrong with Mara!" Skuld nearly shouted as the trio touched ground, dropping off her broom which, without her there to support it, fell to the floor with a wooden _clank_. She ran to her sisters, only to come to a halt several feet away from Belldandy and Urd when she saw the matching glazed expression on Urd's face as well. Alarm rose in the younger girl's gut, and she looked to Belldandy in concern. "Big Sister…what was that song you used? What did it do to Urd and Mara?" She asked, large brown eyes darting from Urd to the demon that World of Elegance slowly bringing to her side.

Belldandy frowned, a perplexed look rising on her features as she looked at first Skuld, then Mara. "Strange…I never thought that song would affect demons in such a way." She murmured, carefully examining Mara before turning her attention once more to Skuld. "Just give them a few minutes Skuld. If the song affects demons like it does Urd, then both Mara and Big Sister should come out of their trances in a little while."

As if waiting for those exact words, Urd blinked, the strange glaze that had entered her eyes slowly fading as the woman brought a hand up to cover her face. "Crap…what happened?" Urd asked, her throat cracking and harsh from the constant screams that had been tearing from her throat only a few minutes earlier. The hand dropped from her face, and Urd grimaced, looking around and regarding her companions with confused violet eyes. "What the…when did you guys get here?" The goddess couldn't recall when her sisters had arrived, and she was more then a little perplexed to see her angel out in the open, supporting a rather dazed looking Mara.

Her left shoulder stung for a reason she couldn't remember, and it looked as though World of Elegance had been thrown into a whirlwind or something. Violet eyes traveled down to her hands, and Urd blinked. And just what the hell was she doing with the Angel Biter out in the open? Wait, was that…_blood_ on the blade? Indigo eyes widened in alarm, and she quickly looked from the knife to Belldandy and the others. They froze on the scratch on World of Elegance's left shoulder and the matching wound on Mara's right. "What…what did I do?" She asked, a feeling of dread unwinding in the pit of her stomach.

A low moan interrupted any chance of a response from the two younger sisters, and a quick glance towards World of Elegance showed that Mara was coming out of her trance as well. Sensing the demon returning to her senses, World of Elegance released her grip around the demon, allowing the blonde to support herself on her own. Planting her hands on her knees, the woman kneeled over slightly, sucking in deep, gulping breaths before finally muttering, "Why do I feel like I was hit by a train?" Red eyes then took note of her now-sleeveless right arm. "And what the hell happened to my shirt?"

Skuld looked from Mara to the scrap of cloth she still held tightly in her left hand. Quickly, she stuffed it into one of the back pockets of her uniform. "Beat's me." She muttered lamely, deciding on a good place to dispose of the material at a later time and date.

Belldandy ignored the two for the moment, instead taking the time to come up with at least a few answers to Urd's questions. "You…weren't yourself." She said, removing Urd's arm from where it dangled around her shoulders when it became apparent that the woman wouldn't fall flat on her face if removed. "When we arrived, you were already attacking Mara and World of Elegance."

Urd looked at her sister with a stricken face, one that tore painfully at Belldandy and left her hesitant to continue. When her older sister's expression became pleading, the blue eyed woman took a deep breath before continuing. "Mara said you'd gone berserk on us, that you thought you were and Angel Slayer. She warned us not to call out our angels, and I think that might have helped, in the long run." The young woman sighed. "But without any other angels around, you were focused on World of Elegance. I think that, had we not interfered when we did, you would have eventually wounded her further, and then…" She trailed off, falling into silence as Urd's silent gaze shifted from her younger sister to her angel.

The color had drained from her face, giving her an ashen complexion. She took a deep, trembling breath, squeezing her eyes shut as she briefly recalled the face of a demon and his needle. When she opened them again, they were alight with a rage not at all unlike the type that had engulfed her in her madness. "That son of a bitch." She hissed, eyes narrowing vengefully. "When I'm through with him…" The words trailed off into an angry growl. She jerked the hand not holding the Angel Biter over at World of Elegance, beckoning the angel to her side.

The angel did as bid, and as she grew closer Urd could catch flashes of what she'd done through Elegance's eyes. An animal's snarl. The flash of a knife. The eyes filled with bloodlust. The goddess blinked, and the images parted to reveal World of Elegance once more. Indigo eyes were drawn to the wound on the tattooed being's left shoulder, now crusted over in an almost black scab. The anger that had swelled in her chest vanished, and gingerly, Urd reached out, lightly brushing the mark with her free hand. World of Elegance didn't draw back at her touch, but even still, she felt a sharp flare of pain from her left shoulder. _I'm sorry…_

She looked over her shoulder at Belldandy, who regarded the two silently. "How did you stop me?" She asked.

"There was a song I learned long ago, when we were both still children and Celestine was still my guide." Belldandy said, her eyes growing distant briefly as she recalled her old mentor. "I cannot tell you whom I learned it from, only that it was created in order to calm those overtaken with rage."

"And who says music doesn't sooth the savage beast?"

Belldandy blinked in surprise, looking to the source of the comment in curiosity, Urd following her gaze as well. "Mara? I'm afraid I don't understand."

Now the center of attention by all three Norns and one angel, Mara straightened self-consciously, rubbing her wounded arm with a frown. "Hate to break it to you Belldandy, but that song of yours-I've heard rumors about it among Hild's legion." The woman bared her teeth in a manner too hostile to be a smile. It wasn't directed at Belldandy in specifically though. "It's a Valkyries Tune, one of the newer ones, if I recall. I heard it's supposed to be like some sort of 'insurance' against demons, Angel Slayers in particular." The woman sighed, running her left hand through her hair, which had grown into a bird's nest of tangles with her recent romp with Urd. The demon grimaced before continuing. "Rumor has it it's supposed to temporarily destroy any desire to fight in the demons who hear it or something like that." She shrugged, and the last part went unsaid. _I guess this verifies it though. Hild will want to know about this. _

She turned her attention to Urd. "Anyways, can you tell us anything about the guy who made you go…" She paused, waving her hands in obscure gestures as she fought for the right words. "…Bonkers one us? I remember hearing about a 'son of a bitch', Little Miss Goddess?"

Urd glared at Mara's remark, but nodded after a brief moment. "Yeah, I'd thought I'd sensed other demon in the area when I was out with Skuld, and it turned out I was right…" The silver haired woman fell into Story Mode, recalling what she'd sensed while out with Skuld and her decision to investigate. And while she went into a vivid description of the wounds and hits afflicted to her opponents, she kept her defeat somewhat vague, none to proud of the fact that this 'Vikoka' had gotten the best of her.

In turn, after a brief moment of hesitation, Mara decided to explain her reason for being near Urd's position when she had gone berserk, carefully filing away the names Urd had mentioned for Hild later on. She conveniently forgot to mention the near terrifying level of panic that had been in Hild's voice upon contact.

Never one to be outdone by her oldest sister or her demonic friend, Skuld was the one who'd explained the rest of the story, including Mara's rather inconvenient decision to take a nap in midair, much to the demon in question's displeasure. (It's not like I was a willing participant. Get some Angel Slayer blood in _your_ veins as see how it feels to fall asleep to a damn lullaby, Brat.)

The situation nearly disintegrated into another fight from that point, and it was only Belldandy's rather insistent vocalization of 'no fighting' that things once again fell into order.

After long explanations and arguments on what to do next, agreements and decisions were made. Any information that either goddess, demon, or, in the rare case of Keiichi somehow stumbling across anything (the boy was an otherworldly magnet, Mara had commented) would be shared between the various groups. Until then, there were strict orders to be on guard and on the look out for anyone, anything suspicious.

Nods of agreements, and then the demon took her leave, mind fresh with new information and shoulder still sore for the bite of a knife she'd never recognized as her own. An angel gratefully returned to her place within her host goddess, a knife was stored in a gown, and the three sisters returned to their shrine, plots and plans of various shapes and sizes racing through their minds.

~*~

A/N: Damn, got us a long one this time. Sorry about the wait, but I really wanted to get this information down but didn't want it to fall into the next chapter. If need be, I'll go into a bit more depth of the conversations at the very end in the next chappie. Anyways, hope you enjoyed it, and you all know the drill by now. Complaints, comments, questions? Feel free to tell me.


	11. Conversations

Angel Biter

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I own nothing

It was a beautiful day at Nekomi Tech. Not a cloud could be seen in the sky above, and the air was at a temperature not too cold or too warm, leaving ample room for t-shirts without the bulky jackets that seemed to follow the students half the year round. On campus, students lazily trailed about, grouping up with friends from various classes as they sought out a place to sit for lunch, the day too perfect to spend cramped up in the small cafeteria located in one of the adjoining buildings.

Yet for all the peacefulness of the day, there seemed to be a small undercurrent of tension lying just below the surface. A feeling of unease, of trepidation, of bated breath and suspense and excitement, like a volcano's rumbles as it slowly began to awaken for the first time in hundreds of years. It was obvious in the way the students moved, the way they looked over their shoulders to check for listeners before turning to their companions, voices dropping to whispers as they conversed in hushed tones. It was the way the students looked at one another, the tone with which they spoke, the restlessness of-

"Keiichi, is something wrong? You've been awfully quiet since arriving on campus."

Keiichi blinked, rousing himself from his thoughts and looking over at the woman next to him. "I-I'm fine, Belldandy." He said, rubbing the back of his head and feeling his cheeks heat up in embarrassment. "I guess I'm still a little paranoid after what happened."

Next to him, dressed in a simple blue skirt with a matching blouse dotted with small flowers, Belldandy frowned. "You mean with what happened with Urd?" She asked, a small note of worry in her voice.

The young man nodded, guiding the two of them to a small bench located off to one side that was mostly void of any other people. A good place to discuss a sensitive matter without the fear of eavesdroppers. Sitting down, Keiichi quickly scooted over to one end of the bench, leaving plenty of room for Belldandy to sit before speaking once again.

"Yeah...I know it's silly of me, worrying like I am, but I just can't help but feel like someone's going to see you and put two and two together." He shook his head, a soft frown of his own worrying his face. "I don't want that to happen, Bell. I don't want something so minor t-taking you away f-from me."

The last few words came out in a stutter, and the collage student once again felt his face begin to flare up in a blush. Dark eyes quickly darted away from his hands, which were folded tightly in his lap, to the side where he just caught a glimpse of Belldandy's soft smile. A hand gently moved to cover his own, and it took all of Keiichi's will not to jump out of his skin right then and there.

"Keiichi." The tone in which Belldandy addressed him forced the young man to look up, dark brown meeting gentle blue, and Keiichi felt some of the lingering paranoia that had haunted him since seeing a blurred photograph of Urd attacking Mara on the news several days prior fade somewhat. "You need to trust me on this. If it becomes too big a problem, the Authorities in Heaven will come and take care of it."

Not even a full week had passed since the incident dealing with Urd and the demon Vikoka. The first two days after The Incident had left the entire Morisato household in a state of alert tension, ready and waiting for the moment this 'Vikoka' and the other demon-what had his name been? Palaman? Puloman?-to come barreling in through the front door, eyes raging and screaming bloody murder.

But as the third day slowly dragged its head around and there were still no signs of any demons (save for Mara) in the surrounding area, it became increasingly obvious that the demons in question were not about to make the shrine a setting for World War 3. Yet that hardly meant everything was fine and dandy.

On the evening news of the night Urd had gone berserk, Keiichi had been more then a little shocked to find a rather unusual piece of news framing the headlines. And nothing, be it a threat of a Skuld Bomb or one of Urd's potions, was enough to tear the young mans eyes away from what he saw.

The reporter was showing a collection of photographs on screen. And while a great deal of the photos were blurry and unrecognizable, Keiichi could still make out Belldandy's blue gown and Mara's dark outfit. The reporter was saying something about eyewitness accounts and explosions, and Keiichi's mind had ceased to hear words any more after that.

More photos, these ones of what had to be Urd and World of Elegance, only recognizable by the light blob that had to have been Urd's head and the dark and white extensions that must have been World of Elegance's wings. Another collection of pictures. A reddish-pinkish blur that must have been Skuld followed by several black smudges, one of which looked to have exploded in the sky. Bombs.

From the various people being interviewed, apparently the bombs were what really caught peoples attentions. Especially one that had fallen close enough to have actually deafened a large group of people momentarily when it had exploded (Skuld had become conspicuously absent around that time.) and brought everyones attention to the strange fight happening right above their heads.

However, Keiichi was willing to say that the group had the Devil's luck when it came to the reporters. Despite the pictures and the various witnesses, no one had a video camera with them at the time, and by the time so much attention had been drawn that one of the local news studios finally decided to drop by and investigate, the fight had been long over, with goddesses and demon departing for their homes. In fact, Keiichi was willing to bet that if it wasn't for the fuzzy pictures and the sheer amount of people who'd seen them, the whole incident wouldn't have lasted past its first day. But there had been a great deal amount of people out-it was the weekend, a beautiful day, and it was Downtown Nekomi-who wasn't there? And so The Incident (as Keiichi had come to call it) had yet to die down.

"...alking about it? I know Setsuna said he was there and all, but still! You'd think hed give it a rest already, right?"

"You're telling me. UFOs? God, he's so full of it..."

Keiichi and Belldandy watched in silence as the two girls passed, both students so involved in their gossip that they didn't even notice the couple sitting on the bench. Again, Keiichi felt what was becoming a rather familiar swell of paranoia well up in his gut, and he looked worriedly over at Belldandy.

For her part, she seemed rather unaffected by the recent events, and she calmly watched the two students pass Keiichi and herself with a soft smile before returning her attention to Keiichi. Her eyes lit up then, and her mouth formed in a soft 'oh' as she recalled something.

"Well, since we're here, we might as well have lunch, right, Keiichi?" The Norn asked, smiling cheerfully and reaching to grab the small bento she'd carried outside with her.

Keiichi took the bento with a smile that didn't feel as strong as it normally was when the goddess offered it to him, and as he unwrapped it he said, "I'm sorry Belldandy. Just hearing people still talking about it just winds me up, you know?" The young man snapped his chopstick apart and moved to grab one of the many appealing morsels inside the bento. He found his appetite extremely lacking for some reason, but none the less Keiichi steadily went about devouring his meal.

After swallowing a dumpling, he looked once more up at Belldandy. "You're amazing, do you know that, Belldandy? Staying so calm with all this going on." He swept his arm out in front of him, motioning to the collage campus and all its students. "And then of course, Urd and Skuld back home." He trailed off, falling silent for a brief moment. "How do you do it?"

The Norn regarded him with a small, soft smile before ruefully shaking her head. "Keiichi, you have it all wrong." She said. "There is a small part of me that is just as worried over all this as you are, and it's only the small guarantee from divine interference that I have not allowed this to worry me so."

The chestnut haired woman stared off in the direction of the college, her eyes growing distant for a brief moment. "Keiichi, do you recall the incident with the Lord of Terror?" She asked. "Do you remember the destruction the program caused? All the buildings that had been torn down? Fenrir and the Midgard Serpent?"

Keiichi's brows furrowed together in confusion. "Yeah, I remember that." He said. Something like that was hard to forget, even if he wanted to, what with everything that had happened. What had brought this on all of a sudden?

Next to him, Belldandy absently nodded her head, bangs bobbing against her forehead delicately. "Something like that would have garnered plenty of attention, and not just from Nekomi's locals, am I correct? Would it not have been such a large catastrophe to have brought about the attention of several news stations, both local and nation wide?"

This time it was Keiichi's turn to nod his head. "Yeah...yeah, you're right. But I'm afraid I'm not quite..." The student trailed off as Belldandy's words began to sink in.

That's right...after the Lord of Terror had been defeated, the only repairs that had been done to the devastation wrought had been to the shrine. Belldandy had been sparing in her magic, restoring only the shrine, for as far as Keiichi had known. Yet despite that fact, despite the devastation and chaos that Nekomi had born witness to, Keiichi couldn't recall ever having seen the aftermath of that event on the news.

"That's right..." Keiichi murmured. "Even with everything that had happened, there was never any talk about giant wolves of snakes on the news, even though there were probably hundreds of people who saw them." He looked over to Belldandy. "Is that what you mean? The Lord of Terror incident...was there some sort of cover up for it?"

The goddess nodded, humming in agreement. "Yes...usually when such catastrophes occur, one of the higher ups will send down a god or a goddess-usually a Valkyrie, but not always-for damage control."

"Gosh...it almost sounds as though these sorts of things happen quite a bit." Keiichi took a bite out of another small dumpling, feeling his appetite beginning to return to him. "It kind of makes me wonder what other incidents have been bad enough to warrant something like that."

Belldandy smoothed out several folds in her skirt before folding her hands together and letting them rest on her legs. "Well...I can't say I know too many other incidents that held the Lord of Terror's level of destruction. Such things are rather depressing, and I'd found that they kept me distracted when I should have been focusing on a client at my job." She paused for a moment, sapphire eyes briefly growing distant as she shifted through some memory or another. "However, I can tell you of the one that had come most recently _before _the Lord of Terror. It had been a rather unique incident in which the client in question had managed to summon not only a goddess, but a demon as well."

Keiichi blinked in surprise. "You mean like how I first called you and then accidentally called Peorth later on?" He asked.

Belldandy's light brown brows furrowed together thoughtfully. "In some ways yes, in other ways no, I suppose." She said. "Unlike you, there had been no lapse in time between the call to me and the call to Peorth. This person had somehow gotten on both the goddess's and the demon's contact list, with the duo in question arriving in the person's house within roughly twenty-four hours of each other."

"Okay..." Keiichi took a moment to envision the likely reactions on the goddess and demon's faces when they arrived at the poor victim's residence. He swallowed nervously. "What happened when the two saw each other?" He asked.

For a second it appeared as though Belldandy shuddered, but Keiichi quickly dismissed it as his eyes playing tricks on him. "Utter chaos." She said softly, looking down at her hands. "At first, both parties tried to be reasonable with one another. They sat down together-human, goddess, and demon, and discussed the strange situation as calmly as possible. But it didn't last."

"Both parties wanted the human to choose them over the other. The idea of allowing the mortal to simply have two wishes, one divine and one damned, never crossed anyone's mind. But then again, even if it had, I'm told, neither party would have agreed to such an idea.

From what I was told, however, the client couldn't make a decision, and in the end, things slowly escalated from a conversation to an argument to a full blown fight between the goddess and the demon. Both were apparently high-class entities, you see, and I suppose they decided to make the decision for the poor mortal.

Neither side held anything back, and in the end, they managed to kill not only the client whose contract they'd been originally fighting over, but destroyed a good portion of the city he lived in as well."

Keiichi winced in sympathy, feeling a small part of him go out to the deceased stranger unfortunate enough to call on both a goddess and a demon. Another time, another place, Keiichi could easily see himself in the stranger's shoes. _I should consider myself lucky._ He thought to himself. _I could have just as easily gotten Peorth and Mara at the same time rather then simply Belldandy._ The thought caused an involuntary shudder to race up his spine, and quickly, he banished the thoughts from his mind.

"Where did all this happen?" He found himself asking, his voice wary, as though Keiichi was unsure if he honestly wanted an answer.

Belldandy pursed her lips. "I can't say for certain." She said. "For all the geography remains unchanged, the names and borders of countries are constantly shifting and changing. However..." Belldandy closed her eyes, brows furrowing together deep in thought as she searched her mind for some small scrap of information. "I believe the incident occurred in Ukraine, in a city called...Chernobyl, I think."

"Ch-Chernobyl!?" Keiichi openly gaped at the goddess at his side. "You're not talking about the Chernobyl that went nuclear, are you?" A sudden bubble of panic swelled in Keiichi's gut at the revelation, one that only grew as Belldandy's ocean-blue eyes rose to the sky above and the woman hummed in thought.

"Yes. I believe you're right, Keiichi."

Oh God...did that mean that the goddess and demon in question were responsible for Chernobyl? Had the fight the two gotten into been near the nuclear power plant? Were they the cause of the nuclear reactor that had exploded?

Something in his expression must have alerted Belldandy to the fact that something was wrong, for the goddess in question frowned in concern, looking over at Keiichi with worried eyes. "Keiichi? What's wrong?"

The young man swallowed. "Belldandy...the nuclear explosion that happened in Chernobyl...was that the cause of the fighting between the goddess and demon? Or was that Heaven's Authorities way of covering for the incident?"

Crap. He hadnt thought about _that._If Chernobyl was Heaven's answer to a violent fight between two highly ranked entities, then what would their solution be to several goddesses, an angel, and a demon appearing on the news? Despite the warmth of the day, Keiichi suddenly felt cold, and he wrapped his arms around his body in the hopes of warming himself somewhat.

But then Belldandy shook her head. "No, the nuclear power plant had nothing to do with the fight between the two parties, nor was it Heaven's idea of a cover up." She said.

Unfortunately, what Belldandy did not know was the fact that the explosion that had resulted in so many deaths in Chernobyl was, at least partially, do to the meddling of tenth-dimensional beings; Hild had been rather upset with the field agent who'd been assigned to sign a contract with the mortal in question. When the demon had failed not only to sign the contract, but then go and get into a fight with the rival goddess like a drunk in a bar, and _further _humiliate Hild by then killing the client in question, the Daimakaicho had decided to take matters into her own hands.

The destruction of Chernobyl, Hild would later say, was _her _way of damage control. Not that anyone who wasn't of Demon-kin would bother questioning her. As far as the deities were concerned, Chernobyl was an advantageous, if unfortunate, event that worked in their favor in concerns to goddesses and demons.

"Well, that's a relief, I guess." Keiichi scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, releasing a small nervous laugh that helped relieve some of the tension that had been creeping up his spine. "I scared myself for a second there, thinking someone in Heaven would have given the go ahead for something like Chernobyl." He looked up at Belldandy from beneath the lashes of his eyes, like an ashamed child waiting for the moment of a scolding he knew was coming. "So...can you think of any other incidents like that?"

If Belldandy took any offense to Keiichi's reasoning on Heaven's idea of damage control, she hid it well, gracing him with a large smile before reaching over and plucking the half-eaten bento from the young man's hands. Placing the lid back on top of the container she murmured, "Well, there is _one_ other time. It happened during a time further back in history, with a small British colony on the island of Roanoke-"

The chestnut-haired goddess never had a chance to go any further into detail after that, as someone shouting her name caused Belldandy to pause. Looking up and blinking sapphire eyes in surprise, Belldandy turned to the source of the shout.

Keiichi followed her gaze, and quickly bit back a groan. Approaching them at a quick, dutiful march, was Sayoko Mishima, a scornful frown on her face and a purposeful fire in her dark eyes.

"Belldandy!" The former campus queen cried out once more. "It's about time I found you. I've been looking everywhere for you!"

Keiichi and Belldandy looked from Sayoko to each other in a mixture of surprise and confusion. They looked back at the fallen queen. "You have?" The duo asked, their voices melding into one and causing Sayoko to momentarily pause mid-step. God it was creepy when couples did that sort of stuff.

Giving herself a mental shake of the head, Sayoko continued her pace, moving closer and coming to a halt in front of Keiichi and Belldandy with her arms crossed over her chest. "Yes, I have." She said. "Do you know how aggravating it is searching for you when you only have one class on this campus now-a-days?" The young woman demanded, shifting to prop clenched fists on her hips and sending a pointed glare towards Belldandy.

"Well, I'm sure it must be rather aggravating then." Belldandy replied, her tone honest and her eyes open in that familiar way Sayoko had come to associate with the woman in the past. "And I'm sorry if I'm such a difficulty to find." She said. "But just remember, if you ever need me, you're always welcomed to stop by the shrine." The goddess offered.

"Yeah, well..." Sayoko trailed off, suddenly at a loss of words, and Keiichi took the opportunity to make himself known.

_Why does it always feel like I'm ignored whenever I take Belldandy to the school? _He briefly wondered. Aloud he said, "Ah...Belldandy, it's all well and good that you invited Sayoko over and such, and I have no problem with that, but something tells me she wasn't searching all over the school campus for us just for an invitation." He said, turning from Belldandy to Sayoko, who was now staring at him as though seeing Keiichi for the first time. "Am I right?"

The former queen blinked startled eyes at Keiichi before they narrowed in remembrance. "That's right." Sayoko said, recalling the reason she'd stormed the campus searching for the duo in front of her. Something shifted in her demeanor, and Keiichi was more then a little startled at the sudden anger that dawned in her dark brown eyes.

She turned those angry eyes once more to Belldandy. "What is _wrong_ with you!?" She snapped.

"Wha-"

"Sayoko-"

Neither Keiichi nor Belldandy had a chance to speak further as Sayoko cut the two of them off. "Letting yourself be seen by so many people while doing that witch-magic of yours-are you _trying_ to get yourself found out by the Japanese government? And after that stupid stunt your sisters pulled at that one ice cream parlor, too!" She snapped.

"Ice cream parlor?"

"Japanese government?"

Keiichi and Belldandy looked from Sayoko to each other in confused bewilderment. They looked back at Sayoko, who had moved to cross her arms once more over her chest, an irate expression on her face as one foot impatiently tapped out a beat on the concrete beneath which she stood.

Keiichi raised his hands in front of him. "Wow, wow, wow...hang on a second. Sayoko, you mean to tell us that you were in one of the ice cream parlors Urd and Skuld had visited that day? Does that mean that you..." He trailed off, unsure if he wanted to continue lest he somehow give the former queen the wrong idea.

However, Sayoko seemed to understand what he meant, and she nodded her head stiffly. "Oh, I was there alright." The young woman all but growled. "My date at the time had decided to treat me for ice cream, and just _who _happens to be sitting at a booth performing magic tricks out in the open? Why, none other then Belldandy's two sisters, that's who!"

The young woman pointed to the goddess in front of her. "And before you say anything, Belldandy, let me ask you this: Who else could it be? Those two even had matching winged dolls hanging around them like the one you have! It was a miracle in itself that I was the only one who seemed to notice any of it!"

It was indeed true that Sayoko Mishima had been in the same ice cream parlor that Urd and Skuld had been in that day. She and her latest date-a young man lacking in brains but made up for with looks-had visited the small parlor on her date's request. The two had entered the parlor, and as the duo had gotten into line, Sayoko's eyes had automatically been drawn to the flash of light that had signified the emergence of an angel. The poor girl had stared in open mouth shock as first World of Elegance and then Noble Scarlet each emerged from their respectable hosts, and had continued staring in open mouthed shock as her date had gently lead her to the front of the line to pick out her ice cream of choice.

And as the two goddesses and the two angels remained ignorant of the one stare they had earned, with Urd trying to draw the upset Skuld out of her shell, Sayoko had turned to her date and promptly decided she was no longer in the mood for any ice cream and decided it was time to leave. _Now._ Her date, a man who'd learned to never argue with a woman who used _that_ tone of voice, had dutifully obeyed her orders, and as they left the parlor (goddesses and angels still ignorant to the one who'd seen them) the only response she'd given to her date when asked was simple.

_"Witches.__ They're everywhere."_

It wasn't so much that the seal Urd had placed on her and Skuld's table was faulty-Urd was an accomplished spell caster, if nothing else, and it was rare for the goddess in question to screw up something so simple as an illusion seal-but rather another, deceivingly simple reason altogether.

It was a little known fact among the deities in Heaven that the more a mortal was exposed to magic-be it divine or damned in nature-the more of a tolerance to its affects was created. It was one reason why Keiichi had survived in a shrine with three goddesses, two of which had rather destructive tendencies when around each other, and a reincarnated demon whose biggest goals in life now seemed to revolve around finding a nice warm patch of sunlight to fall asleep in.

Sayoko Mishima, while having not been exposed to anywhere _near_the amount of magic as Keiichi, had still had her own fair share of strange experiences since Belldandy's arrival in Nekomi. True, the experiences revolved more around demonic magic rather then divine with the case of Mara, but the two magics were so similar to one another that the resistance was the same.

Which was why, rather then seeing Belldandy's two sisters accompanied by two other girls, as her date and the people around her no doubt had seen, Sayoko had instead seen through the illusion and to the real thing.

"You two should be glad that no one else seemed to notice that." Sayoko continued. "And that mid-air fight of yours? You should be grateful I'm the only one who recognized you or your sisters, Belldandy! If I was someone besides the wonderful person I am, your face would be plastered all over the news, and who knows what else!"

"Sayoko-" Keiichi started in, rising from his place besides Belldandy and raising his hand slightly, perhaps in the hopes of calming the excited young woman down, but again Sayoko cut him off before the poor student could get more then one word out.

"Whatever it is Keiichi, save it. I didn't go searching all across campus for the two of you just to listen to your excuses." Sayoko's glare was angry, and despite himself, Keiichi flinched and fell back down into his seat. The dark haired woman turned her attention back to Belldandy.

"Now, since the moment you came to this school, all sorts of weird things have been happening. I know you're behind it, you being a witch and all, and quite frankly, I've reached the point where I don't even _care_what it is you're doing anymore." Sayoko sighed, and for the first time Keiichi noticed the dark rings under the former queens eyes. Had she not been getting enough sleep lately? Heck, now that he took a moment to look, Keiichi realized that she wasn't even wearing her usual amount of make-up. What could have caused so much stress for Sayoko? It couldn't be that with everything happening, Sayoko had actually started to worry about Belldandy, right?

"But while I may not care, that doesn't mean there aren't other people out there who do." Sayoko continued, and Keiichi watched as the fire that had filled her eyes when approaching himself and Belldandy seemed to die away, like a candle who's flame had been blown out. "You need to be more careful when you use your crazy magic in public. Nekomi Tech is one thing-were all used to weird things happening around here (she sent an accusing glance towards Keiichi with that statement, and Keiichi could only think of Tamiya and Otaki for some reason)-but out in the city, it's something else entirely. Just...try to be a little more careful, alright?"

The young woman leaned back, suddenly appearing uncomfortable in the presence of Keiichi and Belldandy as she shifted her weight from one foot to the next.

And then Belldandy, who'd fallen into an observant silence since Sayoko's tirade began, smiled brightly. The sky-eyed goddess stood from her place beside Keiichi, and before Sayoko had time to react, the Norn moved to embrace her one-sided rival in a gentle hug. When she pulled away and looked into Sayoko's baffled expression, Belldandy said, "Thank you for you concern, Sayoko. Knowing you're so worried about my sisters and I...it's very touching, and I can only apologize for placing such a burden on your shoulders."

The chestnut haired woman ended the embrace, and she instead moved to gently grasp Sayoko's hands in her own. "But please, you mustn't concern yourself over my well being. I'll be fine, though I'll also be sure to keep your words in mind."

Both Sayoko and Keiichi stared at the Norn in something akin to a mesmerized silence at Belldandy's words. And then Belldandy blinked and pulled away, and whatever spell she had weaved-be it intentional or not-was broken.

Sayoko narrowed her eyes. "Who said I was worried about you?" She bristled, doing her best to look offended and failing miserably in Keiichi's eyes. I-I just thought you should know, that's all!" With a huff of indignation, the dark haired woman clenched her hands and turned away, marching off in a flurry that left more then one person staring at her retreating back.

It was only Belldandy who caught her parting words, muttered quickly and lowly and not meant for the ears of another person. "I just don't want you to leave. Things would be so damned _boring_ without you around..."

Keiichi's eyes trailed after the retreating figure of Sayoko Mishima before turning his dark gaze to Belldandy. _Funny._ He mused. _Sayoko seemed to be worried about the same thing as I was, yet Belldandy's reactions were completely different for the two of us._He watched as Belldandy looked away from the former queen, meeting his gaze with warm blue eyes. Keiichi dropped his gaze as he felt a blush begin to rise in his cheeks. _I wonder...is it because I know the whole story behind it and Belldandy, in her own special way, is trying to cover up who and what she is? She can__'t lie-I know that-but that doesn't mean there aren't loopholes she can't use._

A delicate hand slipped into the one resting on the bench and surprised, Keiichi looked up once more, finding himself returning the smile that graced Belldandy's face. "Is it not wonderful to know that there are others looking out for you, Keiichi?" She asked, moving to stand and pulling Keiichi up with her. Overhead, a bell tolled, signaling the beginning of new classes.

"Y-yeah...It is." The young man responded, catching something he didn't _quite_ recognize behind that gentle gaze. _Then again...when I think of Belldandy's sisters, a small part of me can't help but wonder_... "Come on, lets go. The last thing I need is to be held back any further because I was late for my one class of the day." He joked.

_That's right...a part of me just cant help but wonder sometimes; some of the things Belldandy does, like her reaction to Sayoko just now-I wonder if that's her way of having fun with mortals. Just totally throwing them into confusion with nothing but kindness._

"Oh dear. That would be a terrible thing indeed Keiichi! If you like, I'm sure I can use my abilities to get us to class before the late-bell rings." Belldandy looked earnestly at Keiichi, and the young man returned the gaze with his own, this time actively looking for any strange gleam. And for a brief moment he thought he might have seen it-a quick gleam of mischief-but it came and went so quickly he couldn't be sure it was real or simply his imagination playing tricks on him.

"Ah, no that's alright Belldandy. Well make it in time. I was only joking." Despite his usual nervousness around her, Keiichi found himself squeezing Belldandy's hand in reassurance, and with a confident smile, he lead the goddess from the bench and off in the direction of his one sole class.

Neither noticed the small group of shady looking characters watching them from the second-story window of one of the classroom buildings. Nor would they, or any other students, for as another bell rang overhead, a second look to the building revealed nothing but an open window.

~*~

A/N: A filler more then anything else. Urd and Skuld will be in the next chapter, if everything goes as planned, while Keiichi and Belldandy have their own unique adventure ahead of them in upcoming chapters. The scene with Sayoko recalling her visit to that ice cream parlor had originally been something I'd planned for that chapter as some comic relief, but unfortunately, I never found the time to throw it in. It isn't nearly as entertaining as it was when still in my head either, damn it.

Oh well. At least I finally got around to posting the next chapter. Sorry things are taking so long in the way of updates. I've been lazy with writing and anxious in regards to anything military, so...yeah. Anyways, hope you enjoyed the chapter, despite it not being the most entertaining thus far.


	12. Raging Bonds

Angel Biter

Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I own nothing. But after writing this, I wouldn't be surprised if half my readers came after me with torches and pitchforks. You all are either going to hate me or love me for this one. Let the chaos begin.

Keiichi leaned forward in his chair, his face serious in rapt attention as his mind struggled to keep up with the words flowing from his teacher's mouth. A small frown lined his young features as his brain fought desperately to translate the heavy German into Japanese. The words rang strange and harsh in his ears, and several words escaped his grasp as his lecturer, a man who'd traveled abroad on multiple occasions in the past, continued unabated, ignorant of the young man fighting a losing battle with just what he was speaking of.

The young man grit his teeth in silent frustration, wishing his understanding of foreign languages was as great as his abilities with motorcycles. With a frustrated sigh, Keiichi scribbled something down in the notebook in front of him, the words making even less sense on paper then spoken in the air. Feeling a rise of hopelessness unfold in his chest, he looked to his left, finding Belldandy watching him with a concerned look on her delicate features.

While not a requirement for her, Belldandy was known for sitting in on many of Keiichi's German classes, and when the instructor had looked about to object to the attention that seemed more focused on her foreign features then the actual foreign language itself, the man, one Professor Haitchi, quickly found a change of heart when he also discovered that said distraction already seemed to know the language, and even acted as a sort of pseudo-student aid to those having difficulties in the course. In fact, with Belldandy in the class, the old professor was astonished to see grades that had once been in the low C's and D's suddenly skyrocket to A's and B's, and he quickly decided that it was more beneficial to have the young woman in the class rather then out.

Even now, from the corner of his eye, the old man could see the woman move to her boyfriend, a man he'd come to discover one of his lesser-component students in the ways of foreign linguistics. He promptly decided to ignore the two love-birds. The duo had never been the type to cause any sort of inappropriate behavior in his class, and experience had told him that whatever the two were whispering about, in the end it would only benefit the young man that was his actual student.

Besides, Belldandy was such a _nice_ girl.

"Keiichi, what is troubling you?" Gently, Belldandy pulled the notebook closer to herself, brushing Keiichi's arm in the process.

_Coming from anyone else, _Keiichi thought to himself, _that could have been taken as something else._ And despite the fact that they were sisters, Belldandy was nothing like her older sister.

Especially in the terms of love.

He missed the quick flash that flew through the goddess' sky-hued eyes.

"It's this one right here." Keiichi said, pushing such thoughts aside for a more sleepless night. "I just can't get the pronunciation down..."

And so the rest of the class hour was spent tutoring, Keiichi's mind drifting from the melodious tunes of Belldandy's voice to the harsh lecture of his professor and somehow managing to leave the class with a better understanding of the German language all together.

The two love-birds left the class chatting merrily to each other.

And that was how Sora found them. With the two of them walking through the school courtyard, moving towards Keiichi's bike, where work and home awaited them.

"Keiichi!" Sora shouted, hailing the mortal and goddess as she ran to them, waving eagerly. The duo paused, a mixture of surprise and curiosity aligning their features.

"Keiichi?" The young man whispered, as much to himself as much as Belldandy. "Since when does Sora call me by my first name?" He asked in wonder.

Beside him, Belldandy smiled. "Perhaps it has something to do with the young man she was speaking with the other day." She whispered. Two days ago, Belldandy had spied the young woman who'd become the Motor Club's newest leader talking amiably to a rather tall gentleman who was listening to her in rapt attention. The topics of their conversation had gone undiscovered, but judging by the looks on both mortal's faces, it was obvious the two were discussing something of great importance.

Perhaps the young man had left something of an impression on the young Hasigawa.

"Keiichi!" Sora called again, and now the two could see the excitement in her eyes. "Belldandy! There's something you guys _need _to see! It's over in the Motor Club!"

"There is?"

"What is it?"

The duo looked at each other, wondering what Nekomi Tech's infamous motor club could have gotten this time. Keiichi frowned slightly, hoping against hope that whatever it was, it hadn't cost the entire club's earnings or was gotten through a bet that, knowing his seniors, Belldandy and himself would have to win. Since Sora had taken over, it wasn't nearly as bad as it had been, the young woman being slightly more responsible then either Tamiya or Otaki, but the duo were known for making the random appearance every now and then.

And when that happened, trouble wasn't that far behind.

"Ah...Sora, could you tell us what it is right now?" Keiichi asked wearily. "We still have work after this at _The Whirlwind_-I don't want to get yelled at for being late."

The statement was a true one, something Sora should have known, having stopped by the very same shop time and time again, looking for both Keiichi and Belldandy for advice on a proper decision in regards to the club or a tip on how to make a meal more pleasing. Yet none the less, the young woman frowned in disappointment, displeased at the denial.

"Morisato! Don't be foolish! Have we taught you nothing?"

Keiichi jumped, releasing a surprised yelp as a large meaty fist slammed down onto his shoulder, forcing the young man to turn to its owner.

_Speak of the devil..._Keiichi thought with a continuing dread, staring at not just Tamiya, but his partner-in-crime Otaki as well. "Ah...h-hey guys....w-what are you doing here?" Keiichi stuttered out, his stomach doing somersaults at the gleam in Tamiya's eyes. (Otaki's were blocked by his dark shades-it was one way he got away with sleeping in class so often.)

The behemoth that was Tamiya released his grip on Keiichi's shoulder, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared down at the young Morisato. "Don't tell me you've abandoned your duties to the Motor Club!" He accused. "Especially after all the effort we put in to getting our best piece of equipment yet!."

"But-" Keiichi paused at Tamiya's words, a small rise of curiosity sliding past his trepidation of just what his two seniors had done with the funds _this_ time. "New...Equipment?" As The Mechanic moved to kick The Student within Keiichi into submission, the young man straightened in interest. "What do you mean, what new equipment?"

Like a fisherman baiting his line, Otaki jumped in, a devil's grin on his face. "Oh...just the latest and greatest in the realms of bikes..." He said casually. "...Built by the best motor mechanics in Nekomi Tech!" Like some strange beacon, the two older men struck various poses, something various Freshmen, new to Nekomi and ignorant still of the strange going-ons within, openly stared at in bafflement.

Their stunt went ignored by the rest of society.

"You guys...built a bike? _Seriously?_" By now, all thoughts of his job had left the young man's mind, images of the new mystery bike, ranging from a hunk of junk metal held together with duct tape and tie wraps, to a shining vessel built for the gods themselves, racing through Keiichi's mind.

Both of his seniors nodded in confirmation. "Come! You must see the glory that is the Motor Club's pride and joy!" Otaki shouted, Tamiya grabbing Keiichi by the wrist and moving to drag the student off.

And as the trio disappeared from sight, leaving nothing but the two ladies who'd accompanied them in their dust, Sora turned to Belldandy. "What about you?" She asked. "Don't you want to see it too?"

Belldandy hesitated for a brief second, Urd's words from earlier in the week. _Until we can figure out what is going on, no one is to go anywhere unaccompanied. No one should be outnumbered-these demons, whoever they are, didn't think twice about attacking me all alone. But they might hesitate if we start traveling in numbers._

Keeping her older sister's speech in her mind, Belldandy smiled, masking the sudden small bit of anxiety that rose in her breast at the sudden separation from Keiichi. "Sure." She said. "I'd love to see the Motor Club's latest creation." After all, that was where Keiichi would be. And despite Urd's latest rule of 'school-work-home', she was fairly certain Urd wouldn't mind _too_ much if the two love-birds took a small detour from their usual course of action.

As Sora lead the way inside the clubhouse, Belldandy was more then a little surprised to find Megumi waiting within the shop as well. Dressed in a Nekomi Tech sweatshirt and jeans, the younger Morisato stood leaning against one of the clubhouse walls, arms crossed impatiently over her chest as she stood waiting for...something. Entering the same room, the younger girl looked up, a small scowl on her face that vanished at the sight of Belldandy and Sora.

Belldandy smiled, pleased to see Keiichi's younger sister in the club. "Megumi! What a pleasant surprise! Are you here to see the bike as well?"

Megumi's smile was slightly strained, and for a moment Belldandy wondered what could have been the cause of the junior Morisato's stress. "Heh, Hey Belldandy, long time no see, yeah? So Sora managed to drag you and K-chan down here as well, I take it?"

At Belldandy's nod, Megumi sighed. "damn..." She muttered. "I was kinda hoping to hold off on unveiling it until we got the last of the bugs ironed out." She said, scratching the back of her head uncomfortably. "So much for that, I guess..." Dark eyes, ones that were almost a mirror of Keiichi's, moved past Belldandy and to the young woman standing beside her. "Well Sora? Are you going to show them, or do you want me to do the honors?"

Now it was Hasigawa's turn to let out a nervous laugh. "Ah...about that...she said, causing Megumi to raise an eyebrow in amusement. "Um...do you think...you could show her?" The final words came out almost like a squeak, causing Belldandy to tilt her head off to one side in curiosity. "Because...I just discovered this new tea recipe and I really want to see if I can make it and have it turn out well and I want Belldandy to try it and-"

The words came out quickly and nervously, jumbled and in a language that took Megumi a minute to understand before finally raising her hands and saying, "alright, alright!" Sora's mouth clamped shut. "I'll go show Belldandy the bike. You go and do...whatever it is you just said." She said, throwing her hands up in the air with a dissatisfied grunt. "Bell, is that alright with you?"

Belldandy blinked, having understood all of what Sora had said but finding herself surprised none the less. Then her face broke into a smile. "Of course, I'd love to try some of your tea, Sora. I'm sure it will be excellent." The goddess turned to the Motor Queen. "Megumi, would you like to try some of Sora's tea as well?"

Having already turned away to wander off to where the new bike was no doubt stored, Megumi paused, looking over her shoulder in confusion. "What? Oh, no thanks, Bell. I'll pass on this one." As Sora disappeared into another area of the shop, no doubt in search of a kettle for the tea, Megumi whispered, "Besides, I've been designated the 'unofficial' tester of anything Sora makes now a days. The boys are all afraid of what she makes, and after her last attempt at curry, my taste buds are all but dead." The dark-haired student turned away with a grin, and after a brief moment of looking back to where Sora had disappeared to, Belldandy followed after as well.

"So, does this mean that Keiichi is examining the bike right now?" Belldandy asked as Megumi slid a door open, entering the small room and moving to where a blue tarp rested.

Grabbing the tarp, Megumi paused, looking over at Belldandy in confusion. "Keiichi?" She asked. "What are you talking about?" The young woman asked, pulling the tarp off and revealing the rather unique bike that lay underneath. Brushing the seat off of non-existent dust, Megumi looked back to the Goddess of the Present. "I've been here for two hours and I haven't seen my brother at all." The young woman tilted her head to one side in curiosity. "Is he supposed to be here?"

Slowly, Belldandy began to nod her head, a small rise of alarm once more growing in her stomach. "Yes..." She said carefully. "Tamiya and Otaki appeared shortly after Sora found us. They dragged Keiichi off, I thought to go and see the bike. But if they aren't here..."

Perhaps sensing her older friend's unease, Megumi smiled. "Ah, Tamiya and Otaki showed up again, did they?" She asked, the smile growing larger at Belldandy's nod. "I wouldn't worry about it then. They arrived here a little while ago, and when they left, I thought to go to work, I moved the bike in here. They're probably freaking out right now thinking someone stole it or something." She laughed lightly before beckoning Belldandy over with one hand. "But yeah, check it out..."

The bike was fairly small, built for speed more then looks, with colors ranging from all over the rainbow, as though someone who was colorblind had thrown several different buckets of paint onto it with little consideration for everyone else. "I call her 'Frankenstein'." Megumi said with pride. "We made the whole thing from spare parts and ol' junkers no one wanted anymore. Considering what all we have and the various skills of everyone here, it was only a matter of time before we got her up and running. The smile widened to that of a Chesire Cat's grin. "The best part? It didn't cost us a cent."

Belldandy kneeled down besides the craft, cooing in an appreciative ah and momentarily allowing herself to forget her concern for Keiichi. If he was with Tamiya and Otaki, he'd be okay. It was rare for demons to make a move on humans in the middle of broad daylight, anyways.

Besides, she'd _know_ if Keiichi was in any sort of danger.

Redirecting her attention to the bike, Belldandy opened her inner ear, listening to the various voices that rose in song from the strange little bike. What Megumi had said had been true, the bike aptly named, for like the scientist it was named after, the bike had been created from the pieces of various other bikes, no one model or brand taking priority over any of the other pieces. That, combined with the work that had been put into it-hours upon hours, nights without sleep, frustration, love, pride, she could hear it all in the bike's voice, see it in the small spirit that had grown attached to it, a newborn still trying to recognize itself.

"It's beautiful..."Belldandy cooed, reaching out and gently stroking the cool metal, where older particles of paint flicked off like dead skin at her touch.

Standing next to the bike, Megumi's smile only grew larger with pride. "Yep!" She said, her chest puffing out proudly. "This little lady's going to be our ticket to fame." She said. "I can't wait to work out the remaining kinks and show her off at the upcoming competition!"

The chestnut haired goddess chuckled gently at Megumi's excitement, rising to her feet with an unnatural grace. "I'm sure Keiichi will be very proud of what you all have accomplished here." She said affectionately.

"He better be!" Sora's voice rang out cheerfully from behind Belldandy, and the goddess turned, seeing the bespeckled girl enter the room with a tray in her arms, a tea kettle and several tea cups on the plate. Steam rising wistfully from the small cups, Sora carefully made her way into the room, being careful not to knock into anything that could cause the tea to spill. "I can't tell you how long it took just to come up with the blueprints for this thing." She said, coming to a halt and offering the loaded tray to Belldandy, only sitting it down on a near-by table when the goddess moved to take one of the offered cups.

The lass looked around the room as Belldandy took a hearty sip of the tea, a slight frown on her face as she searched for something. "Speaking of which...Where are the guys?" She asked. "I'd have thought they'd be here by now..."

"Megumi said they might be at the location the bike had been at prior to her moving it." Belldandy responded, finishing the small tea and placing the cup down. "...And the tea is very good, by the way." She said as an after thought, recalling Sora's reasons behind making it. "I can tell you've been practicing..."

Belldandy trailed off, pausing with a frown as something rose on the edge of her senses. Steadily it worked it's way closer, digging into her like mental talons and clawing up the back of her spine. Reactivly, the goddess lurched off to one side, bumping into the table with the kettle and knocking the tray and it's contents to the floor. The porcelain cups shattered on impact, yet Belldandy didn't hear it. Nor did she hear the concerned cries of the other girls in the room and the woman moved to grasp the table and steady herself, her free hand moving to grasp her head as a mental beat pounded its way into her skull.

Blue eyes brimming with pain, Belldandy felt herself sway unsteadily. "Keiichi..." She murmured, dimly aware that someone, Megumi perhaps? Was grabbing onto her, supporting the older goddess. _This feeling..._Her world faded, and in its place stood Tamiya and Otaki, mirroring looks of sadistic glee that seemed out of place on the two's faces. A sliver of fear that was not her own raced up her spine, and Belldandy was once more in her own body, gasping for a breath that would not come and tasting nothing but the copper of spilled blood. The iron taste made her stomach turn, and a wave of nauseousness descended.

"Keiichi..." This time the word came out as a moan, gritting her teeth as another spike of alien fear ran through her. This feeling...She knew this feeling. Keiichi was in trouble. She needed to find Keiichi. She needed to leave.

Now.

The relationships created between tenth dimensional beings and their third dimensional counterparts was often an interesting process, depending on the relationship of both parties. For the longer two souls remained fated to each other, the deeper a bond would grow between the two parties, one equal parts advantageous as it was not.

For two beings such as Belldandy and Keiichi, who'd only grown closer with the passing of time since Belldandy's arrival, a deep bond had indeed been created. More empathic in nature then anything else, one might go so far as to compare it The Ultimate Force that had once bound the two together through contract, allowing one to know the status of the other at any given time of separation. Belldandy, capable of recognizing the bond for what it was, had a higher sensitivity to it then did Keiichi, and thus, it's effect all the greater because of it.

Especially when the man she'd come to love was in danger.

And so it was that pained sapphire eyes pried themselves open, viewing the world in what felt like tunnel vision as Belldandy pushed herself from Megumi's hold. "Keiichi's...trouble..." She mumbled, finding herself oddly drained and wondering if this was some sort of side effect to the bond she'd allowed to grow.

Hands shook her and she saw Megumi's face yelling into her own, however a mind that was quickly loosing itself to worry could not translate what it was the younger Morisato was trying to say to her. No, right now, all she knew was that Keiichi-_her _Keiichi, was in trouble, and she needed to rescue him.

"Let. Me. Go."

There was no time to be polite about the situation any longer. And for Keiichi's sake, Belldandy wasn't about to beat around the bush, even for Keiichi's younger sibling.

She'd just have to apologize later.

Shoving Megumi to the side, the goddess released her grip on the table, teetering unsteadily on her feet before taking an uncertain step towards the bike, her eyes set on the small rear view mirror that would serve as her gate. The student, perhaps not expecting the sudden action of the goddess, lost her balance and fell to the floor, looking up at Belldandy with worried eyes.

"I wouldn't do that, Little Goddess."

Belldandy paused, blinking uncertain eyes as another voice, this one she could understand, rising to her ears. The chestnut haired woman looked over her shoulder for the owner, finding her eyes landing on Sora Hasigawa, the only other person in the room.

As if to prove it was indeed the poor-sighted girl who'd spoken, the college student spoke again. "Really, you'll only hurt yourself attempting _that_." She jutted her chin to the bike, almost as though she'd read the goddess' thoughts. And again, it was in the more common tongue used by tenth dimensional beings. The girl took a step towards Belldandy, masking the students eyes behind the glare of the artificial lighting within the small room. She crossed her hands over her chest.

"That tea I gave you had a potion mixed into it, a sealant used on tenth-dimensional beings who've been accused of a crime and are awaiting their trial. You'll only make yourself sick trying to use your powers right now." A thin smile appeared on Hasigawa's face. "Besides, if you just wait a few minutes, there won't be any reason to go out looking for Mr. Lover-boy. My men should be on their way with him as I speak."

Belldandy's eyebrows furrowed together in confusion, the young woman squinting as she began to wonder if perhaps she was hallucinating. "Sora?"

But the illusion shook her head. "Nope. Sorry, but Little Hasigawa is away at the moment. You'll have to call back and leave a message." The head shaking stopped, and now Belldandy could see the red demon's markings that marred the younger woman's face.

_Oh no..._

When? When had a demon possessed Sora? Did that mean Tamiya and Otaki were as well? Who else had the demons laid claim to? How had she allowed herself to become so careless? Why had she allowed herself to be separated from Keiichi?

"Who...are you?" Belldandy ground out, the words coming out slowly, leaving her feeling as though the goddess was trying to speak through a highly viscous liquid. A throbbing pain assaulted her temple, and once more the woman groaned, placing a hand on her head in the slight hope that the pain would ease. Someone grabbed her once more, and Belldandy blinked, meeting the familiar eyes of Megumi once more. The Morisato's expression was alien-calm in a situation most others would have panicked in.

"Come on Bell, stay with me." Megumi's voice was low and soothing. "Now isn't the time to pass out-Keiichi needs you." The college student moved to adjust her grip around the goddess, wrapping Belldandy's arm around her shoulder. "Hang in there."

Unsure of Megumi's odd attitude yet grateful for it none the less, Belldandy took strength from the shorter girl's words, pushing the pain and nausea off to one side far enough to allow her a better focus on the demon that had possessed Sora. "What have you done with Keiichi?" She demanded.

Sora raised an eyebrow in amusement before waving a hand to the door. As though summoned by the wave, Keiichi appeared in the doorway, a grimace on his face with both hands at his back. Tamiya and Otaki behind him, the two older men shoved their younger companion into the room, where Keiichi stumbled and fell, his arms barely moving from where they had been restrained fast enough for the student to cushion his fall. Keiichi landed with a grunt, pushing himself to his feet with a soft groan.

Seeing the young man mostly unharmed, Belldandy felt her heart soar. "Keiichi!" She cried in relief, meeting startled dark eyes with her own exuberant blue, the only thing preventing her from running to his side being the young woman currently supporting her.

"Bell?" Brown eyes stared at Belldandy in confusion. And then they cleared, Keiichi running to both Goddess and sibling. "Belldandy!" He cried. "Are you alright? I thought something happened to you. Tamiya and Otaki, they're-"

"We know, Keiichi."

The youth jumped at Megumi's voice, and the older Morisato stared at his younger sibling in bafflement. "Megumi?" A sense of dread began to fill his gut at the thin smile that spread across her features, and it was only because a small part of him began to suspect what was happening that he was able to catch Belldandy when the young woman supporting her shoved the goddess away.

With a startled gasp, Belldandy fell into Keiichi's arms. Bemused, she looked first up at Keiichi, who stared down at her with a soft frown, then over her shoulder towards Megumi. A look of dawning horror dawned in her eyes as Megumi straightened, dusting herself off with a frown before moving past the couple to stand next to Sora. "Sorry Kids, but you're wrong there too." She said, crossing her arms over her chest and staring at the duo with a scowl.

Held within Keiichi's arms, Belldandy felt the young man grow tense, and an undirected surge of anger rose from the man supporting her. "Megumi too?" His voice was meek and timid, until Belldandy realized the tremble in his voice was due to the anger Keiichi was containing rather then despair. "First Tamiya and Otaki...Sora...and now my little sister? _Again?_" Keiichi's eyes rose to meet Megumi's, who met his with a matching set of unflinching brown. "Who are you people? What do you want from us?" His voice steadily rose in volume, to the point where his final question came out a shout.

The young man only grew more rigid as Sora laughed. "Ah! So the man only a goddess could love has a temper, no?" She taunted, dark eyes sparkling maliciously behind her glasses. She smiled. "But I do suppose _some _introductions are in order." She stated. "After all, you are merely bait for a much larger prey-it makes no difference whether or not you know our names."

Urd flashed through the duo's minds for an instant, and now Belldandy grew tense as well.

"Belldandy, Goddess first-class, Keiichi Morisato, companion to the divine, allow me to introduce myself. I am Mada, an...associate, if you will, of Vikoka." The possessed woman gave an overly-dramatic bow, rising with a smile that only grew larger at the flash of recognition that flew across Belldandy and Keiichi's expressions. "Wonderful! I see I struck a memory! Could it be your sister told you of her meeting with Vikoka?"

The two held their silence, choosing instead to glare at the woman, both sharing an expression so similar to each other it was scary. Sora-or was it Mada? Shrugged. "Moving on..." She stated, pointing to Megumi-or the one currently in possession of Megumi's body. "These are my cohorts." She stated. "Peri, Anzu, and Zhen." The demon pointed first to Megumi, then Tamiya and finally Otaki. "Vikoka...how do you say...asked that we _invite_ you both over to his place as his guests." The woman's chuckle was cold, sending a shiver up Keiichi's spine. "And we-" the short haired girl waved her hand at the small gang. "-are to be your escorts. Isn't that wonderful?"

Keiichi grit his teeth. _I can't let them do this._ He thought to himself, an anger and despair the likes of which he'd never before felt rising through his being. They'd done something to Belldandy, these demons. He wasn't sure what-the bond he was unaware of linking him to Belldandy only told him so much-but whatever it was, he was almost certain that whatever it was, she'd barely be able to defend herself, let alone the both of them.

"No..." The voice was soft, and it took Keiichi a second to realize that it had indeed been him who'd spoken. A part of him wondering if some great spirit hadn't possessed _him_, Keiichi felt himself gently move Belldandy off to one side, meeting the goddess' confused blue eyes with his own and and seeing something reflected in her eyes, some alien emotion that scared _him._ Unsure of what it was Belldandy had witnessed on his own face, Keiichi rose, trying to smile reassuringly and failing miserably. _I'll get us out of this._ Was what he wanted to say, but the young man found his throat strangely dry, as thought he were about to attempt some great feat that could bring him glory just as easily as it could defeat.

His hands, now empty of the goddess he'd briefly held, searched blindly on the ground, of what, Keiichi was uncertain, only that he'd know it when he found it. And his actions did not go unnoticed.

"Oh, what's this now?" Otaki-Zhen? Approached him, the smile Keiichi recognized before the shaded man had attacked him returning to his face. "Looks like someone's balls have finally dropped." He taunted, crouching down and placing himself eye level with Keiichi. "So, Big Man, does this mean you've finally stopped hiding behind a woman? Does this mean you think that a mortal can do what a god can't? And to a demon, no less?" Otaki's laughter was harsh, ragged, and mocking.

Yet something in Keiichi refused to look away, and he returned the stare with a defiant pair of brown eyes. "I won't let you touch Belldandy." He said, feeling a wave of giddiness rise up as his hands finally found what they'd been seeking. The giddiness rose into a near hysteria as calloused digits wrapped around cool, hard metal, and Keiichi grinned, his sanity leaving him as he brought the crow bar up and crashing into Otaki's head.

The man crumpled without a word, and Keiichi rolled onto his feet, stepping in front of Belldandy and wielding the crowbar like a sword. He ignored the guilt that quickly overtook his minute hysteria, just as he failed to see the expression of shock that appeared on Belldandy's face at his actions. _I'm sorry Otaki. I'll make it up to you somehow later on._

Until then...

"Who's next?" Keiichi challenged, eying the three demon-possessed humans in front of him. "I said I won't let you touch Belldandy, and damn it, _I mean it." _An angry snarl spread across his features, and for an instant, Belldandy was certain she saw the knight in shining armor encased in the form of a young college student, covered in dirt and grease and wielding an even dirtier crowbar as his shining sword. And then the image was gone, with only Keiichi standing between her and the demons involved with her sister.

It was Megumi's demon who grinned, a small giggle escaping her lips as she took a step forward. "Well Keiichi, I have to admit, you're full of surprises, aren't you?" She asked, tilting her head to one side in a manner that was so..._Megumi_, that for an instance Keiichi lowered his guard. "But Big Bro, I have to ask..." The demon approached Keiichi, and despite his earlier claim, the older man took a step back, his eyes seeing only his baby sister, not the demon that had taken her body. "...Do you really think you can harm me?" A hand reached out, slowly, gently even, grasping the crow bar right below the tip and directing the inward-turned end against her head. "Do you have the guts, Keiichi? To bash my brains in-your _sister's _brains in, knowing that if you don't, you could loose Belldandy?" Her large brown eyes, the exact same ones he saw every time he awoke, stared earnestly up at him.

_No._

No. He could never do that to Megumi. Not to his little sister, who drove in crazy half the time she was around him. Not his sister, who'd first met Belldandy bringing Keiichi a 'taste of home'. Keiichi felt his resolve waiver, and his grip on the crowbar loosened. Megumi's smile grew, and with her free hand, she gently plucked the iron from Keiichi's hands, where he released it without so much as a struggle. "You're a good person, Keiichi." Megumi murmured, patting him gently on the shoulder affectionately. "_Too _good, if you ask me." The younger Morisato brought the crowbar down , shifting her grip minutely on the piece of iron.

Belldandy's eyes widened in horror, realizing what the demon was about to do. _No! She's going to strike him down where he stands!_ Belldandy couldn't allow that to happen. She _wouldn't._ With an energy brought only through panic, the goddess lurched to her feet, already realizing that no matter what she did, she wouldn't be able to protect Keiichi before he was struck down.

Megumi ignored her, smiling sweetly to Keiichi. "But then, that's why she loves you so much." Her eyes flashed, and the markings she'd been hiding that marked her as a demon appeared on her face.

"_Keiichi!"_

"Too bad I'm not."

Keiichi gasped at the markings.

Megumi swung the crowbar.

And it was Tamiya, not Keiichi, who fell to Mara's blow.

As the second demon fell to the crowbar, Sora gasped, taking a step back in surprise. "_You?_" She shrieked, pointing at Megumi with disbelief. "What are _you _doing here? Where's Peri? _What did you do to Peri?_" The woman screamed, scrambling backwards as Megumi approached her, the smile she'd worn on her face vanishing into an angry snarl of her own.

"Sorry, but your friend Peri is currently one of the more..._permanent_ guests of Hild's." She stated, twirling the crowbar in her hands. Specks of blood-Tamiya's and Otaki's-flew off the iron, marring Megumi's outfit and speckling the surrounding walls with red stars. "But don't worry-Hild says that the invitation has been extended to you as well." Mara continued to encroach on Mada, and then Sora tripped over a tool box. The demon-possessed student stumbled into the wall behind her, and the iron slashed through the air, coming to a halt in front of the demon's face before moving to press into Sora's throat.

The demon spread herself out against the wall, turning her head off to one side and leaving one panic-filled eye to stare at Megumi. Her prey pinned, Mara's head whipped around to where Keiichi and Belldandy stood, both stunned and shell-shocked over the sudden change in alliance. "Well Boy, what are you doing, standing there a fool?" It was Mara who spoke, yet Megumi he heard. "Aren't you going to stay true to your word? Grab Belldandy and get the hell out of here!" Mara bellowed, snapping Keiichi out of his daze and back to reality.

As Mara turned back to her prey, Keiichi turned to Belldandy. Not about to disobey the near-order that had been directed at him. "Come on, let's get out of here." He said, taking her hands in his, and then moving one step beyond, gently scooping the taller goddess into his arms and making his way to the exit. As a small part of Keiichi grew surprised with how light Belldandy had become, (had all that heavy machinery actually done something in his favor?) the goddess turned to look back at Mara.

"Mara! Behind you!"

As Belldandy and Keiichi exited the room, Tamiya and Otaki, beaten and bloody and angrily creeping up behind Megumi, was the last thing the goddess witnessed of Mara.

Keiichi exited the building panting, the scent of blood and sweat mixing with the scent of flowers-Belldandy's scent, he realized, and seeming to urge him onwards. "What the hell is going on?" Keiichi grunted, the stress of the situation forcing him back into habits he'd thought long dead with the arrival of Belldandy. Next thing he knew, he'd start craving a cigarette. "Was Mara always like that? Or is there just a really violent streak in demons that I don't know about?"

His questions went unanswered, however, Belldandy's own attention too heavily focused on the building they were leaving behind. "Mara..." With the sealant potion still within her system, Belldandy could no longer sense the magic that was specific to Mara. Not without running the risk of loosing herself to unconsciousness.

And with Keiichi doing so much to support her already, Belldandy couldn't afford to become any more of a burden then she already was.

_Mara, please be safe. Please, keep Megumi safe as well. _She prayed, allowing herself to be drawn once more back to the present. To the present, where Keiichi's breaths were quickly growing ragged with exhaustion.

He wouldn't be able to continue at his current pace for long.

And as though sent by The Almighty Himself, an answer to their situation came in rather unexpected manner.

A black Cadillac owned by none other then Sayoko Mishima herself, as a matter of fact.

The caddie came to a shrieking halt in front of Keiichi, and with a panicked yelp, Keiichi slid to a halt, tilting his body at an angle to absorb any impact and protect Belldandy from harm. With the car stalled, the campus queen burst forth from the front door, a look of surprise and startelment, one he was quickly growing used to seeing, drawn all over her face. "Keiichi? Belldandy? What-Are you okay? What happened? Are you hurt?" Sayoko's questions came out too quickly for Keiichi to respond to, and so instead he took the moment to catch his breath, taking shallow breaths with lungs that burned with fire.

"Home..." The youth managed to choke out, startling Sayoko once more with that harshness of his voice.

"Home?" Sayoko repeated. "You're trying to get home?" She looked from Keiichi to Belldandy, taking a moment to examine the pale sheen to the more exotic woman's skin, lined with small beads of sweat that had gone unnoticed at first glance. Keiichi, too, had signs that he'd gone through some sort of trial-school clothes covered in dirt and grime, bruises on various parts of exposed skin, and while she wasn't certain, what almost looked like blood lined one of the sleeves from where he'd smashed Otaki's face in. "Oh God..." Sayoko whispered. "W-what happened to you guys? _What did you do?_"

Quickly, she moved to Keiichi's side, wrapping an arm under Belldandy's and hauling the woman out of Keiichi's arms. At the look Keiichi sent her, she allowed herself a moment to gloat. "Hey, stop with the stare." She ordered. "Do you think I got a body this good sitting around all day taking pictures? Now come help me get Belldandy into the back seat. If she's going to throw up, I'd rather she did it leaning against a back window then ruin the front half of Daddy's car." She said with a sniff, the words and actions so familiar and so _Sayoko_ that Keiichi found himself doing as he was told, gently helping move Belldandy into the back, where she laid down with a relieved sigh.

Closing the door, he turned to Sayoko. "Thanks..." the student's voice was still somewhat scratchy, yet Sayoko did her best to remain unphased. "About all this-"

The woman held up a hand. "Save it. You look like you've been through hell, and contrary to popular belief, I have plenty of patience to wait to hear the reason behind it when your more recovered, not looking like a damned hobo that'd gotten into a fight for money."

The relieved smile that aligned her male companion's face was enough to scare her into wondering just _what_ Keiichi and Belldandy had gotten themselves into in the few hours since she'd last spoken with the, before quickly shoving the thought off to the farther recesses of her mind. She'd find out later. Instead, Sayoko said, "why don't you go ahead and take the back seat as well?" She asked. "Because honestly, with the way you look, I wouldn't be surprised if you went rapid trying to stay near your girlfriend."

The image of a crowbar colliding with Otaki's head slid across Keiichi's vision, and the young man gave a nervous laugh. "Ah...okay, thanks..." Yet still he found himself pausing, looking back in the direction of the clubhouse, a lump of worry for his possessed sister rising in his gut. "Megumi..." He murmured, a rise of disgust forming out of the worry as he recalled the last scene of his sister, pinning a possessed Sora to a wall, face filled with an alien aggression that marred her features into another person altogether.

If Mara harmed his sister in any way...

With a shake of his head, Keiichi banished the thought from his mind. There were other things to worry about right now, like the ill goddess in the back seat of her unwitting rival's Cadillac.

His body quickly growing stiff from the undesired exercise that came with carrying a goddess first-class, Keiichi slowly moved around to the other side of the caddie, opening the back door and carefully crawling into the back seat, being careful of Belldandy, who looked to have finally given herself up to sleep. _Did she really exhaust herself that much? _He wondered. _Were those demons really that powerful, or was it something else? _Ignorant of the potion that had been fed to the poor goddess, Keiichi quietly puzzled the scenario out in his head, his imagination starting to get the better of him the longer he dwelled on it.

Hearing Sayoko enter the vehicle jostled him once more from his thoughts. In the end, it didn't matter now. What mattered was that they were safe, and Belldandy was sleeping off her exhaustion. Hopefully she'd be fully recovered when she awoke once more. Feeling himself relax slightly now that a majority of the danger had passed, Keiichi looked down at Belldandy, moving to brush a stray lock of hair away from the goddess' eyes. Her expression was troubled.

"Marller..."

Keiichi frowned at the murmured words, recalling a night that seemed like a year ago when he'd first heard the name mentioned from both Belldandy and Urd. Ever since Skuld had found that old knife, trouble had come in the form of one wild roller coaster after another, it felt. Keiichi looked up, his brows furrowed together as he realized the car had yet to move from its stalled position.

"Sayoko?" He asked, peering over the seat and at the woman in question. "Why aren't we moving yet? Not to be pushy or anything, but..." He trailed off, following the other woman's gaze out the front window and to the world beyond. His eyes widened to a near replica of Sayoko's current expression. "You're kidding me..." He muttered.

"Morisato? Isn't that your sister?"

Staring at the girl currently running towards the car, covered in blotches of red a little _too_ red to be paint, Keiich got the distinct impression that Sayoko was silently begging him to deny her claim. Yet sure enough, the figure was definitely that of Megumi, Mara's red demon marking still tattooed upon her face, rips and tears in various areas of her outfit. She still held Keiichi's crowbar in one hand, and where the light caught the sheen of iron, it glinted an unnatural hue in the sun. Running to the car, Mara left a trail of fading red footprints in her path, and Keiichi felt his stomach lurch, a part of him wondering if what he was seeing belonged to Megumi or someone else.

She looked like she'd killed somebody.

And she was shouting something, something Keiichi couldn't _quite_ understand. The young man began to roll down the window, ignoring Sayoko's sudden violent protests and finding himself grateful the windows were manual, not the newer automatic ones the driver could control at his own desire.

"-ar! Didn't you hear me? I said get the hell _out _of here!" Mara shouted, tossing her make-shift weapon off to one side and making a speedy bee-line for the car. Using an acrobatic skill Keiichi _knew _his little sister did not possess, the short girl leaped, nearly soaring over the hooded engine of the Cadillac and to the driver's door, where Sayoko continued to stare in stunned bewilderment. Again, using a strength lent only by the demon that possessed her, Megumi ripped the door open, sticking her head into the car with an angry snarl on her face. "Why the piss are you still here? Do you honestly think one person can keep three demons under control?" She demanded, looking _through _Sayoko and to Keiichi. "I can't keep them away from you guys forever, now lets get the hell out of here!" Her gaze, red with a demon's rage, shifted to Sayoko.

"_Move."_ She bellowed, causing the terrified campus queen to nearly leap into the passenger's seat in her haste to escape the younger woman. Keiichi felt himself swallow a lump in his throat. Had it been his imagination, or had Megumi sprouted _fangs _for that brief second? The young man never got the change to look however, for with Sayoko's scramble into the passenger's seat, Megumi climbed into the driver's, slammed the door shut, and sent the Cadillac lurching forward with an angry roar.

Screams, indistinguishable from the male and female throats that unleashed them, rocketed out the window, filling the air like a siren and proving to be the only warning many local students had before nearly getting run down by the speeding vehicle. As the air filled with the various cries of innocent bystanders and roar of a vehicle going well past the legal speeding limit, Sayoko managed to somehow straighten herself in her seat, quickly grabbing her seat belt and locking herself to her seat. That accomplished, the young woman grabbed both arms of her chairs, her knuckles turning white with the force of her grip as she struggled to hold some sort of composure.

Keiichi, finding himself desperately trying to protect the sleeping Belldandy from the more painful bumps, curbs, and other miscellaneous items that Mara seemed inclined to hit, dimply realized that Megumi was driving a stick. That same part chose that moment to remind him that Megumi had never learned how to drive a clutch. Another part, one that sounded suspiciously like Belldandy's, claimed that demons only had as much knowledge as the humans they possessed most times, which meant Mara could no more drive a stick then Megumi.

He would later discover that the small bit of information was actual knowledge, lent to him by the bond connecting him to Belldandy.

But as that was neither here nor there, Keiichi settled for ignoring the disturbing bit of information as best as possible, devoting himself instead to protecting Belldandy from harm and gaining several new bruises in the process.

He was going to be very sore, come tomorrow morning.

The Caddie had somehow made it onto the highway by now, away from the school and on the mountainous cliff side that lead them into town. Thankfully the road was still fairly empty of other vehicles, for otherwise Keiichi was fairly certain Mara would have crashed and sent them all to the Almighty by now, gift wrapped and with a bow on top. The demon seemed to have no understanding of just what the yellow lines dividing the road meant, or if she did, she deliberately ignored them.

Yet it was Sayoko who first saw the motorcycle approaching them from behind, coming quickly to run beside them as though trying to pass, only to hold the speed next to them. And what she saw behind the driver's seat made her scream.

It was Otaki.

His glasses gone, the man's face had swollen into a massive bee's nest of knots, his flesh cut open in various places to the point where it shone openly from exposed bone. His leather jacket was torn in various areas, darker in some spots then others from the wounds Mara, not Keiichi, had inflicted on him. A chain was wrapped around one fist, and as he drew near, the possessed man began to twirl it before striking it against the Cadillac's passenger window.

It was pure luck that caused Sayoko to duck, the window shattering upon the chain's impact and sending shards of glass scattering down upon the poor woman's head, causing her to scream a second time.

And her scream did not go alone either. Mara was not deaf, and as the chain whipped into the car, Megumi screamed as well, rising and mixing with Sayoko's and Keiichi's into a harmonious discord, swerving the vehicle and trying to ram the car into Otaki's bike.

Otaki however, was a great deal more skilled then Megumi ever was with a car, and with a flick of the wrist, the bike slowed, allowing the Cadillac to pass just as Mara swerved.

Now on the opposite side of the road, another cycle pulled up beside the Caddie, this one ridden by Tamiya. And if Otaki looked like hell, then Tamiya looked as though he'd become a chew toy for Cerberus in the time since Keiichi last saw him.

Mara, it seemed, had not been gentle when it came do demons encroaching on her territory.

And where Otaki held a chain, Tamiya had chosen a rather large wrench, chucking it at the drivers window before Megumi had the chance to shift her speed. It smashed through the glass with a spectacular shatter, more deadly glass arrows flying into the car's occupants and leaving more then just one person bleeding. His aim too good for an injured man on a motorcycle, Tamiya's wrench sailed into Megumi's shoulder, causing the demon inhabiting it to yelp and jerk her arm, and the wheel grabbing it, further off to one side.

The rail tore like an aluminum can as the car sailed into it.

The Cadillac sailed off the road and into the air, death from above.

Otaki and Tamiya came to a sliding stop right before their bikes met the same fate as the Cadillac. The demons dwelling within watching silently as the dark car fell, sentencing those within to an almost certain death.

Around him, Belldandy held tightly in his grasp, Keiichi vaguely became aware of Megumi cursing. And as his body lifted off his seat, weightless, Keiichi was more then tempted to join in. Then Megumi was in his face, her hand wrapped tightly around his wrist, Sayoko clinging to her waist. _Hang on._ The demon mouthed, the markings on her face and eyes flashing a brilliant red.

And then Keiichi's world disappeared into oblivion as the car impacted with the ground.

A/N:By now, you all are either hating me or are getting ready to glomp me with love. I can't tell you how long I've been wanting to post this chapter. The scene with Megumi once more possessed by Mara and the drive down the highway was one of the scenes that got me into writing this story from the start, and it feels good to finally have it down on paper. This is when things start to get interesting.

Also, do any of you remember in the manga, the ghost motorcycle? How about the road where Megumi became the Motor Queen? That road was where the final scene took place. I'm not sure how accurately I did with the description, as I have no freaking clue as to where it's actually located within Nekomi. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Now to move on to another chapter that has been revolving in my head from the start...


	13. Thy Lady Goetia

Disclaimer: You already know I don't own A!MG. But I bet you didn't know that I also don't own Nny, Professor Membrane, or The Moose. Those three all belong to Jhonen Vasquez.

Hellfans eat yours souls out.

* * *

"Stayed tuned-when next we come back, we'll have a conversation with American scientist Professor Membrane, a man renown for his invention of the legendary and terrifying 'Super Toast', to see what his opinion on the explosions that littered the skies on Nekomi City last Monday is..." The TV cut to commercials, advertising the foreign 'Super Toast' that had just been previously mentioned, before moving on to another advertisement about some strange brand of hot dog.

Yet Urd found herself paying the television little attention, her focus remaining heavily on the table she sat at. Small paint brushes of various sizes and lengths littered the table. Around her, various vials of black paints of different tones and glasses of water lay haphazardly close to table corners and edges, threating to overturn and spill their contents on the ground should something jostle the table too much. Thin wire of various lengths littered whatever free space remained, and feathers of various lengths lay piled carefully to one side, away from any substance or object that might mar their condition.

Her elbows braced against the table, Urd leaned haunched over her work station, long platinum locks of hair draping down upon the table outside her elbows, threating to change black with the proximity of the paints. A thin, black-tipped paint brush in one hand and a feather in another, Urd carefully applied the paint to the follicles, moving with the grains to minimize the strands clinging together as the paint dried.

There were six feathers in all-three for each ear, two from each of the angels that resided in the Shrine. Two long black feathers from World of Elegance, handed over without question. Two even larger feathers from Holy Bell, after a short discussion with Belldandy to explain why she needed the feathers. Two smaller white feathers from Noble Scarlet, retrieved from Urd's room after Skuld had been nipped by the Angel Biter.

Skuld didn't need to know about the reasons why her oldest sister would need two feathers from her angel. It was doubtful she'd understand even with an explanation, and even then, young lips had a tendency to speak of sensitive topics, ignorant of who or what might be eavesdropping. Painting an angel's feathers was considered a crime in Heaven-the lessons learned by Valkyries in past battles with Slayers and Goetia had lead them to the discovery of just what could be accomplished with such an act.

Applying one final brush stroke, Urd leaned back, releasing the breath she'd been holding and allowing a body that had grown tense with focus the opportunity to relax. The goddess twirled the feather between two fingers, speeding the drying process as she gazed down at the materials before her. The paints and brushes had been a gift to her from one of the second generation Slayers, a Goetia called Naberius who'd shown more then once the mind of a scholar rather then a warrior. It had been one of many gifts she'd received during what had been her final birthday in Niflheim, and served as much as a gift of parting as one of celebration.

The feather now dry, the violet eyed woman set the object down, keeping it well away from the various paints and murky waters scattered across the table. All black, Hild had never bothered to invest in any other sort of color, claiming that black went best with white and never expecting to come across an angel with a black wing any time during her life. As such, there were no white paints for World of Elegance's feathers, and thus, the two black feathers remained untouched.

Urd nodded her head as she mused over the feathers. Yes...But then again, she didn't need to put any binding spells on her own angel. The black feathers would act as a sort of neutral band, placed in between the two decorated feathers to prevent either one from interfering with the other's abilities.

"And we're back. Professor Membrane, based on your vast amount of knowledge and experiences, what do you make of these photographs?"

Urd's gaze drifted to the television, realizing for the first time just what she was watching as various blurred images of tenth-dimensional beings traversed the screen. The screen split, with one half continuing to circle through the photographs while the other displayed a tall man in a white lab suit, the collar pulled up and hiding his mouth while a pair of goggles reflected the light, masking his eyes from sight. His hair seemed to be composed of one long stand of gravity-defying black, and the scientist leaned back, bringing black rubber gloves into the camera's view.

"Well Miss, based on my observations, I've done some research and compared the facts, and have come to only one conclusion." The professor said.

"And what is that Sir?"

"Swamp gas!"

The television flickered violently, almost in protest to the scientists words, before breaking into white noise. Five seconds of hazy static, and the television cleared once more, returning to the network program it had originally been airing. The strange scientist had disappeared, and the woman on screen smiled. "Well, that's all the time we have today, folks! Tune in next time!"

Urd narrowed her eyes at the woman, taking note of the red emblems on her face. "Damage Control." She muttered. "Looks like the Elder Gods are at it again with their games of insanity. Good catch, guys."

The Norn could recall working with the Joint Force Damage Control Unit, JFDC, several times in the past. A coalition of both demons and gods, they were tasked with taking care of any other-dimensional beings that caused trouble on another plane of existence. The Elder Gods, fifth-dimensional monstrosities that a distinguished author had been made famous for, were renown for such troubles, seeming to exist for nothing more then the joys of watching third-dimensional mortals being consumed by madness.

One case in particular struck her mind, in regards to a poor young man who'd had the misfortune of moving into a house that had actually imprisoned one of the troublemakers. The prior home owner, the same to have initially imprisoned the Elder God, had taken his own life several months after the imprisonment, the monster still finding itself capable of influencing the owner and happily doing so in an attempt at escape.

The unfortunate man to next take up the responsibility, a young and talented artist by the name of Jonathan, had to have been one of the worst cases she'd ever had to deal with. The imprisoned creature's influence on the young man's mind had been great, and Johnny , or Nny, as he later began to refer to himself as, found himself falling into both homicidal and suicidal tendencies. It was impossible to tell how many people the man had killed, or to how many people he'd spread the Elder God's plague-like madness.

Only that in the end, Nny had finally grown tired of keeping the beast prisoner, allowing the wall that kept it prisoner-a wall in constant need of a wet sheet of blood-to absorb the final bits of blood that kept the creature complacent in it's cage. Nny himself had, around that time, taken his own life in an effort to see if he truly was immortal-another thought implanted in his mind by the Elder God and the servants it had created from the shades of Nny's mind. And it was as Nny lay dieing and the Elder God was close to finally escaping the complete prison that was a house, Urd had found herself recruited into helping the JFDC with damage control.

Her part had been simple. The results had been disastrous.

As the Norn of the Past in charge of Yggdrasil, all she'd been tasked with was to hit the 'reset' button for that dimension. As the universe moved to rewrite itself, the JFDC had moved to deal with the Elder God, returning it to it's original plane of existence. Those that had been imprisoned with the prisoner and massacred at its attempt at escape suddenly found themselves alive once more, and Nny...

The man's record had been enough to make an angel vomit, something no one had thought to have been possible up until then.

"_No! No! Stop! Stop! You'll ruin everything!"_

"_My God! Are you kidding! I've always dreamed of having super powers! This is just too much to resist! I have head-explody!"_

_..._The amount of gore left behind still haunted her dreams every now and then.

The memories caused Urd to shudder, and with a quick shake of her head she returned her attention to her original task. The feathers now fully imbued with the spells required, Urd moved to reposition them, separating the six into two piles and laying the feathers down on top of each other, the largest on the bottom and smallest on top. That done, Urd grabbed one of the pieces of wire, carefully using her magic to weave the metal cord through and around the hollow tips and connecting all three feathers into one earring as the Norn fashioned the end into a hook.

Repeating the process with the other feathers, Urd then moved to remove the two earrings already in her ears. Placing the large linked earrings down on the table, the Norn of the Past paused, staring to where the television droned on with commercials. There was a soft hiss of static as the old device flashed to white noise, and this time Urd's frown had little to do with Elder Gods or damage control crews. "Skuld's been stealing parts from the TV again..." She growled. "I'll bet she thought she could create some new contraption to fight off any uninvited guests."

The goddess shook her head, turning off the TV with a flick of her wrist to prevent any possible explosions that might come as a result of Skuld's tampering. As the screen faded to black, the silver haired woman sighed, shaking her head in annoyance. "When will that girl learn...the television is not a scrap heap for her inventions!" Urd snapped, her aggression lost on the house, empty with the departure of Skuld.

"Well, at least she's starting to return to normal." The irritation faded from Urd's voice, and a small, soft smile found it's way onto her features. "Being around little Setsuna will help her heal even more, too."

The child had indeed departed the house earlier in the day, when the youth in question had stopped by on foot rather then on bike, claiming that an attempt at a new stunt had left a thrashing on his bike that was so bad, he'd been afraid to try and move it from where it lay, lest it fall apart at the smallest touch. Skuld had been more then willing to look at it, yet it had been Urd, of all people, who'd been more then a little reluctant to see her youngest sibling off. It hadn't been until Skuld had finally promised to take not just Banpei, but Sigel as well, whom the youngest Norn had taken to repairing and even upgrading in the past week.

It left the house abnormally quiet.

The woman snorted, shaking her head in an effort to rid herself of such thoughts. "Eh, so long as they're both safe, I suppose that's all that matters." The Norn proclaimed. "Now, lets see how these babies work..." Handling the newly made earrings with all the fragility of feathers made of glass, Urd slipped first one, then two earrings into the old piercings, their weight consisting of little more then the metal that bound the feathers together. The woman smiled, catching just the barest hint of the feathers dancing to her movements at the corner of one violet eye.

"Yes..." Urd nodded in approval, feeling a light touch of a magic not all her own fall upon her person. "...this will work."

Shifting her gaze back once more to the table, Urd made a move to stand, only to freeze as something moved from the corner of one eye.

A shadow. One that had moved with her motions, trying to mask it's actions with her attention diverted. Violet eyes moved to trail the direction the movement had come from, and then her head whipped up as well, a spell in her throat ready and waiting for the demon who thought he could get the jump on her.

On the black screen of the television, a transparent Hild mirrored her actions.

"Hild!" Urd yelped, the spell on the tip of her tongue biting off mid course. Instead, Urd uttered several choice phrases that had never marred the ears of the more pure divinities before leaping to her feet. "What are you doing here?"

As the table toppled over onto one side and the contents resting upon its surface flew about, Urd watched as the ghostly image of Hild once more mirrored her actions in the screen, and Urd paused.

Her reflection.

She'd been startled by her own reflection.

Hild didn't have Urd's long straight hair-hers was a mane as wild and as untameable as the beasts that were her monsters. The eyes that stared at Urd-large and wide, dilated with a fear of Urd's own manifestations, were not the older, power-filled orbs that reflected the void itself, holding an inner light that spoke of a belief that life in general was little more then a game to be enjoyed. The emblems on her reflection spoke of those of a second-class goddess, not of the feared and respected demon lord. The feathers dangling from ears were those of the angels from three siblings, not the black-painted feathers of an angel who had, once upon a time, been the first of it's kind to die.

Yet for all the differences, the similarities were there as well. The same nose, the same mouth, the same ears-all features that were less evident to the unobservant, yet features she'd come to discover from years of looking in a mirror.

"You really are becoming more and more like her, you do realize that, don't you?"

Again, Urd screamed, the fear of another attack returning full force as she wheeled to the owner of the voice, releasing the spell she'd withheld from her reflection.

From the top of the old grandfather clock in the tea room, Welsper yowled as the bolt of magic came at her, before leaping from the clock and on to the television. The black cat wheeled around with a hiss, ears laid flat against her skull with her fur puffed up.

The silver-haired Norn relaxed at the sight of the cat, releasing a sigh of relief before moving to righten the table with a finger. She ran a hand through her hair, sending a glare at the small beast before sitting once more. "Welsper." Urd said, more to herself then to the black cat. "It's only Welsper..." The goddess rested her elbows on the table, burying her face in her hands.

Growing more then a little perturbed by the goddess's strange reaction, Welsper hopped off the television and down onto the now-cleared table, trotting over to Urd. Her fur still puffed out, the little demon released a high feline growl. "Hey, come on now." She growled, sitting down in front of the goddess and rubbing her head against Urd's arm. "Stop acting like that, Lady Goetia."

The title caused Urd to grow still, remaining unresponsive to the cries for attention from the cat incarnation. Then slowly, Urd's face unburied itself from her hands, and a pair of violet eyes, as hard and emotionless as the stone that shared their shade, came to rest on Welsper. "What did you call me?"

The cat chose not to respond at first, choosing instead to rub up against Urd's arms once more, a silent demand for attention. It wasn't until Urd let her arms drop to the table, fully uncovering her face, before the prior demon chose to respond. "Is that not what you are becoming?" The creature's voice came out is a loud purr. "You who wear a Slayer's weapon? You who would don an angel's feathers?" Smug, golden eyes met violet.

_You who would attack an angel._

"Isn't that what you are attempting to become?" Welsper continued, ignorant of the voices whispering within Urd's mind. "One of the original Slayers? One who gained the title 'Fallen Angel" for tasting the blood of the ones they once slew?"

_Is that not whose blood you carry?_

_Is that not what you _are_?_

"No."

Urd shook her head. "No, I'm not." She repeated, unsure whether she was trying to silence the voices in her mind of Welsper's inquiries.

"Then what?"

"I..." The goddess trailed off, violet eyes growing distant as she sought a proper response. With a patience that seemed out of character for the small demon, Welsper held her silence, instead nuzzling Urd's hand. The purr that had become a steady and constant roar only seemed to grow louder as Urd reacted to the demand for attention, dark hand rising to stroke the creature's head.

"You know that if you gave into your heritage, you'd be able to better protect the ones you love." The cat said coyly, eyes that had grown to mere slits carefully watching Urd's expression. "You wouldn't be bound by the laws of a second-class goddess. You'd be privileged with allies of a power all demons fear, let alone gods. And no one would truly fault you either-you'd simply be returning to claim a heritage that is rightfully yours."

The silence continued, and Welsper let it, knowing she'd just thrown a great deal in the Heaven's Norn of the Past, in Niflheim's future Daimakaicho, to think about.

For Urd, she was grateful of the silence. _Little more then a week ago, I'd have blasted the cat for saying such words..._She mused, scratching behind one of Welsper's ears and gaining and deeper rumble in return. _Now I find myself asking the same questions. Why am I doing this?_

There were other ways of going about the current situation. A quick call to Heaven would send a Valkyrie to take care of the problem with Vikoka. A seal was easy to create, even easier to use, especially with a little magic at hand. Marller, being an unusually possessive and territorial demon, could chase the intruders away without a second thought. There was no need to hold on to a weapon that had long become outdated in the eyes of both Goetia and Valkyries alike-no need to revert to a practice that had long faded from existence with the coming of each new generation.

So why? Why _did_ she carry a weapon, wear feathers, socialize with demons?

"Insurance."

The word startled Urd as she heard her voice speak, feeling as though someone else had slid into her head and taken charge of the reigns. Yet even as the word was spoken, Urd found herself nodding in agreement with herself. "Yes...insurance." She repeated. "Insurance against these demons, whom hunt me and claim to know me, yet whose very names are alien to me. Insurance to be sure that I'm prepared, in any way, shape, or form, should they strike again."

"Insurance to protect you sisters?"

The silver haired woman frowned, yet found she did not deny the claim, continuing to nod her head. "Yes...Even if it is illegal...even if I am giving a small part of myself up to something I hate..." By now Urd's words were spoken more for her own benefit then Welsper's, the goddess trying to reason out just what it was she was trying to accomplish and how she could justify it to herself.

"These demons-Vikoka-aren't trying to hurt me specifically. I'm only the bait for a bigger fish-Hild. And with that woman being one of the most dangerous people in all of creation, her enemies are few and far between. For someone to be openly challenging her like this-these attacks within the mortals realm, openly handing out a name for Slayers to seek and then attacking _me_...these aren't the usual pests or nuisances we've faced in the past." The hand that had been scratching Welsper stopped, instead moving to her blouse, withdrawing the sheathed knife that had become her newest accessory.

The weapon lay within a new leather sheath, one labeled with various runes of power and sealants. The worn bone handle had been re-wrapped in fresh, new leather, and a feather, one with rigid, geometrical patterns painted that varied from Urd's chaotic swirls, dangled from the weapon's pommel. Ignoring Welsper's warning growl, the woman unsheathed the blade, staring at the freshly polished metal and catching her reflection.

Hild indeed.

"I hate it."

The woman's voice was soft, filled with a fire Welsper had never heard voiced from the goddess's mouth before. "I'm a goddess, not a demon. That is first and foremost. For me to be falling into such practices..." a shiver raced up Urd's spine, and the woman sheathed the blade once more, stowing it away once more on her person. "...it terrifies me."

The Norn gazed down at the black cat, who regarded her silently. "After everything I've been through to earn my position in Heaven, the respect of my peers, even to simply be around my sisters...I've worked too hard, too much to simply give it up and become a demon. If I give in to..._that _half, then everything I fought so hard for would have been all for naught." Urd shook her head. "I'm not going to do that. I'm not going to give up my sisters for power. I'm not going to release my position in Heaven for royalties of a Daimakaicho in Niflheim."

Something that might have been a sigh escaped the cat, and Welsper's ears drooped. "That is a shame." She admitted. "I will not lie to you-being in the company of you blessed goddesses has installed an honesty that disgusts me-but I had been hoping you were actually considering a change in alliance." Welsper stood from where she sat, back arching as the small cat stretched. "You do not know it, but you are spoken highly of in Niflheim."

At Urd's surprised look, Welsper rasped a laugh that did not come naturally for a cat. "We follow your actions on this plane." She explained. "The eyes and ears of Niflheim are as abundant of those in Heaven. It was your name that was celebrated with the collapse of the catalyst program with the Lord of Terror. You who we screamed with as you fought against the deity who sought to disrupt this world because he'd grown tired of some law, and we who cried with you with each defiant act against That One."

The cat then moved to further surprise Urd, moving to leap and landing carefully upon one of the Norn's shoulders. Before Urd even had a chance to jump at the action, the cat had moved to drape it's body around Urd's neck, leaving Welsper's head next to Urd's ear. "Just remember, Urd." The words came out as a soft purr, causing Urd to pause from where her hands had moved to grab the cat. "Heaven may not fully accept you, however Niflheim will always be there to welcome you home." That cat moved to nuzzle her neck, and Urd flinched as Welsper's cold nose touched her flesh. "You will never be alone, Lady Goetia. We are always with you, whether you realize it or not. All it takes is a request, and we will be at your side. For we are demons, and serve none but the Daimakaicho's line."

A heavy silence fell upon the room as Welsper finished her speech, Urd contemplating the words carefully and allowing her hands to drop to table once more. The cat still resting draped across her shoulder's like some strange fur scarf, Urd frowned, puzzled and unnerved at the strange conversation.

"Now, why don't you act more like your little sister and go and get me some food? All this talk of loyalties and servitude has given me an appetite, and Blue Lance and I still haven't figured out how to open the refrigerator door yet."

The comment caught Urd by surprise, and the woman's head dropped, almost hitting the table top before she regained her composure. One amethyst eye shifted to glare into gold. "Do I honestly look like Belldandy to you, cat?" She snapped. "And what was all that talk just now about servitude? Or were you just screwing with my head?"

Welsper laughed, a dry a hiss that sounded as though the beast was in pain. "Yes-we are demons, and we serve only the line of the Daimakaicho, however, you deny, therefore the rule does not apply to you." The cat yowled, and the moment that had descended upon the duo vanished, leaving nothing buy a hungry demon and as disgruntled goddess in its place.

"Now get me some food, Woman!"

Later that day, after flying several sorties high up in the sky, several pilots within the Japanese Air Self Defense Force would have a hard time explaining to their commander the fact that a black cat had been the source of the bogey they'd been trying to intercept.

It was Urd who caught Welsper as the cat returned from it's impromptu flight into the sky, one dark hand reaching out and snatching the little demon by the scruff of her neck before Welsper even had time to summon Blue Lance for assistance. The cat yowled in protest as the rough handling, something Urd easily ignored, and the goddess brought Welsper close to her face.

The woman glared.

The cat fought.

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Welsper snapped, squirming against Urd's hold as she fought for escape. "Now will you put me down?" The tip of her tail darting back and forth angrily matched the soft growl in her throat, and despite herself, Urd sighed.

"Only a demon..." Urd's voice held a ring of amusement to it, and Welsper paused in her struggle, taken off guard by the tone.

"Urd?"

Yet the goddess chose not to respond, shaking her head with an amused smile before moving to deposit the cat once more upon her shoulders, where Welsper automatically shifted to a more balanced and comfortable position. Again, violet eyes met golden, only this time, something else had entered them, something so familiar to Welsper it boarded on terrifying, and instinctively Welsper's claws unsheathed, pearcing the cloth that covered Urd's shoulders and digging into the flesh underneath.

Yet even then, the look did not fade, and with eyes that seemed to view the world with amusement, Urd repeated her earlier comment. "Only a demon..." A dry chuckle escaped her throat, and suddenly the look was gone, the eyes of the Daimakaicho replaced once more with a second-class goddess.

"Alright, I suppose I'll entertain you for this one time. Let's see if we can't get you some food."

* * *

It was as they departed the tea room that the feeling of _wrongness_ began to descend upon Urd.

It caused the goddess to pause in her step, a frown darkening her face as a high-pitched ringing entered her ears. Welsper, still resting on her shoulders, took note of the frown as well. "What is it?" She asked, tail flicking violently and whipping the back of Urd's neck. The woman took no notice.

"I'm not sure..." She murmured, her head tilting away from Welsper's muzzle as though hoping to get a better hearing of the noise. "It's almost like..." Violet eyes narrowed, and slowly, the Norn brought a hand up to touch her new earrings. "Almost like..." A finger brushed the follicles. "...screaming..."

Holy Bell flashed across her vision.

She was screaming.

Urd gasped, and suddenly it was as though she was under attack as vision after vision assaulted her mind. Images of Otaki and Tamiya, malicious grins on their faces. Pictures of Megumi, a grin of betrayal on her face.

Keiichi, a crowbar in hand, attacking Otaki.

Tamiya falling to Megumi's hand, Mara's markings adorning her face.

Sora Hasigawa, possessed by a demons whose markings were unknown, screaming.

And screaming.

And _screaming._

The shrieking wouldn't stop, even as the visions faded, leaving Urd in the present once more, where she'd come to kneel from the intensity of the attack. The woman moved to clutch her head, hands moving to cover her ears in a futile attempt to block out the noise, and dimly she became aware of the fact that she was hyperventilating. The woman made a move to stand, yet her legs refused to budge, and instead Urd found herself leaning up against the hallway wall.

"Make it stop, make it stop!" Urd's words came out as a growl, squeezing her eyes shut.

And then, as quickly as it came, it was gone, as though listening to Urd's pleas and vanishing with the wind.

For several seconds, Urd remained as she was, kneeling pressed against the wall, eyes shut against non-existent visions and ears covered from the illusion of screams, breath coming out quick and ragged. Something pressed against her leg, and one violet eyes slid open, a mere slit against her face as though Urd feared to view the world for what it may hold.

"What did you see?" Welsper asked, standing on her back paws and resting the forepaws against Urd's leg.

The woman blinked dumbly, a part of her wondering when the cat had even jumped from her shoulder, while another, large part of her mind muddily tried to translate what it was the little demon had said.

"Ambush..." The word felt foreign in her mouth, and Urd began to wonder what it was that had caused such an intense reaction to her visions. "Belldandy and Keiichi...ambush..."

_Skuld._

Urd sat bolt straight, the hairs on the back of her neck rising in alarm as Skuld's face flashed across her eyes. Fear gave her a second wind, and the Norn hopped to her feet with a curse, any ill affects that had accompanied her strange visions vanishing in much the same manner as the screams.

Cold, clear fear replaced it.

"Skuld is in trouble." She said, more to herself then anyone else, falling into a mad dash to her room with Welsper hot on her heels. Excited and scared, the woman almost ran _past_ the door to her room, sliding to a halt and almost causing Welsper to crash into the Norn, who'd not been expecting the sudden halt.

Instead, with a yowl of her own excitement, Welsper leaped into the air, aided by a magic from a devil and landing on Urd's shoulder once more. "Urd, calm down!" The cat growled into the Norn's ear. "You aren't thinking straight!"

Yet the woman paid the cat no mind, barely even glancing at the small beast as she entered her room. _This is not good._ She thought to herself, making her way to the stand where her brooms rested and grabbing Stringfellow. Welsper's voice little more then background noise to be ignored, the goddess turned and exited the room once more, hurriedly making her way outside. _If Keiichi's friends were possessed, and then attacked Keiichi and Belldandy, whose to say the same couldn't happen with Skuld?_

The thought did little to ease the pounding of her heart.

Outside in the courtyard by now, the Norn slowed to a halt, mounting her broom and allowing Stringfellow to slowly rise in the air. Feeling her own magic mingle and dance with the broom she'd created, Urd allowed herself to turn her attention to Welsper, who continued to cry out in protest. "Cat." She snapped. "I'll give you three seconds to get off my shoulder before I take you with me. I don't have time to listen to your ramblings of reason, and I'm not going to sit around and argue with you when there's a chance Vikoka is targeting my sisters."

Welsper fell silent for a brief second, before a low growl erupted from her throat. "No." She growled out. "I'm not going to let a fool like you get yourself killed, especially if you're fight." She said. "Besides, I am not going to be the sole resident of this blessed shrine you call home."

Stringfellow rose further in the air, and Urd felt Welsper's claws dig deeper into her shoulder for support. She ignored it, instead allowing a grim smile to overtake her features. "Only a demon..." She murmured, before tightening her own grip around Stringfellow, and pointing the broom off in the direction Skuld's signature emitted from.

A burst of magic expelled from the broom, and goddess and demon were off, leaving nothing but an empty shrine behind, where in one room, black paint that was not of the realm it resided in, seeped into the wood it had been spilled upon, painting the floor an ugly shade of black.

* * *

A/N: First off, I want to apologize to my readers. I do not own JTHM, or Professor Membrane and Super Toast, for that matter, but I'd been rereading the series while writing this chapter, and it...corrupted my thoughts. So I apologize to any who actually recognize the series I'm talking about and are in any way, shape, or form offended by the guest star appearance of Jhonen Vasquez's characters.

Fear the Moose.

In regards to Welsper's character, I felt like I was trying to write a Ranma ½ fanfic. It felt awkward trying to write about a male stuck in a female body. It kind of makes me wonder if first time Ranma ½ authors feel the same way when first starting out.


	14. Flight vs Fight

She was flying.

The wind raced through her hair, where it danced wildly and uncontrollably. It filled her lungs, lifting her, elating her with a joy she thought she'd at one time lost, and sending her dreams skyward. Above her head, the sun bathed her in it's gentle rays, and she smiled, displaying a bright, toothy grin.

"Faster!" Skuld cried, her grasp on the sleeves covering Sentaro's shoulders tightening as the youth eagerly complied to her orders, shifting the gears on his bike and throwing all his energy into the pedals. Their speed increase, and the young Norn threw her head back and laughed; a sound of freedom and innocence, purity and youth.

A sound that had been noticeably absent with the scarring of an angel.

Yet here, upon the spokes of Sentaro's bike, the wind rushing through her and elating her soul, Skuld found the freedom she'd thought vanished return to her, and again the girl laughed in glee, a smile on her face that only grew wider as Sentaro joined her in her laugh, the youth's voice floating to the Norn's ears with the rushing wind.

"This is great Skuld!" Sentaro cried, throwing another burst of energy into the pedals, one that seemed to rise and grow with Skuld's laughter. "It's like I'm flying, there's so little weight to it!"

Skuld's only response was more laughter.

It had been several hours since Skuld had departed the Tarikihogan Shrine with Sigel and Banpei. Several hours of staring in horror at the mangled contraption that had once been a bike, before turning on Sentaro and _demanding _to know what he'd done to destroy something so well loved. Several hours of painstaking repairs, some only possible with the help of the two creations extra abilities, with Sentaro's extra hands.

Ten minutes since the bike was finished, and two children found themselves riding fast and free, unstoppable as they chased the wind.

And as they rode on one side, two others chased after the children on the other side of the street, keeping their mistress well within their sights as a game of their own was made, one that had almost become ritualistic in it's simplicity.

"Why did the Mistress decide to bring you along?" Sigel growled, black hair whipping into her eyes as she risked a quick glance back to her companion, locked in the form of a bike-like contraption as he was. Banpei, however, refused to respond, instead simply staring at her with the eternal grin that had been an original installment to his face.

By the Norns, it was creepy.

The Android Girl looked away, throwing a quick line of fuel into the thrusts installed in her back and propelling her further ahead, the skates installed in her shoes gaining momentum as she caught up with her Mistress Skuld and Sentaro.

Yet even as she drew close enough to once more hear the conversed shouts from the two youths, something that should have filled Sigel with ease, something pulled uncomfortably at her heartstrings.

"_Take care of her."_

Those had been Lady Urd's parting words as the group of four had left for Sentaro's bike.

They had been confusing-ones that filled her with unease and a foreign feeling of dread. Sigel had observed the relationship between her mistress and Lady Urd several times in the past, with anything ranging from a regular sibling's rivalry to a rage that spoke of doom and destruction. Yet the android had also seen a different aspect to the relationship-one seen in shared jokes and shared laughs with the departure of the middle sibling, departed with Keiichi to some place the others chose not to follow.

It was seen in one sibling's attempt to educate the other on a history older then time itself, for another to re-inspire with the appearance of a problem from a more imaginative perspective. From something as simple as a cure to an illness with the use of common household food items, to repairing a television with anything that could be found in a local tool box. Creating something with only the tools found on one's own person and feeling the joy of completion and success. Diving down into one's own emotions and giving rise to powers found only in the spirit and feeling the song of one's own soul.

It had been incidents such as those that both Sigel and Banpei had borne witness to-ignored as the technology they truly were, and thus seeing more sides to the complicated relationship that belonged to Skuld and Urd then even Belldandy had seen.

"_Take care of her."_

Again, the words echoed through Sigel's circuits-a bad recording that wouldn't stop repeating. She frowned, tracking her Mistress through eyes that were not human. Yes...time and time again, Sigel had borne witness to Lady Urd's strength and power, her selfishness of those around her, and her selflessness of her younger sisters.

"_Take care of her."_

No...It didn't make sense. Lady Urd should have known better then to say something so ridiculous. Since her creation, her birth at the hands of her Mistress, Sigel had decided that she would protect Mistress Skuld even at the cost of her own expense. There was no reason for Lady Urd to reinforce something that had become a rule to live by for Sigel.

"_Take care of her."_

So why had the older Lady said it?

"_Take care of her."_

"_Take care of her."_

"_Take care of-"_

"Sigel! Watch out!"

Skuld's voice broke into her consciousness, and Sigel blinked, coming out of autopilot and returning to the world around her. "What?"

The android paused, her gaze returning to that of her master, still resting on the spokes of Sentaro's bike, a look of horror that frightened Sigel on Skuld's face. Sentaro's was no different, a near replica expression on his own face as the youth gripped the brakes of his bike, coming to a halt so sudden it nearly threw both it's riders from it's bars.

She'd wondered out onto the road somehow.

And straight into the path of the oncoming truck blaring it's horn at her.

The android released a scream as realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and quickly she shifted into a Fighting Mode. A well-placed Rocket Punch might stop the truck before it-

A metal arm stretched around her torso before Sigel could react, and the girl could only manage a yelp before she was dragged out of the incoming vehicle's path.

The vehicle roared by without slowing, horn still blaring angrily and momentary concealing Skuld and Sentaro from where they watched on the other side. And then the truck was gone, revving down the road and disappearing behind a corner, leaving behind nothing but a mask of fumes to show it had ever existed.

"Sigel! Are you alright?" With a gentle nudge that needed no true urging, Skuld and Sentaro quickly rode to the other side of the street, the truck making both children wary even while crossing a road that had grown dead to traffic. When safely across, Skuld hopped off the spokes and trotted to Sigel's side, a look of concern on her face as the Norn approached. "What happened? Was there a system malfunction? What made you wander out into the middle of the road like that?"

The android blinked, more then a little dazed at what had happened. Dark eyes drifted from the robotic arm that had been her savior to the owner of the arm, and Sigel met Banpei ceaselessly-ending smiling face with surprise. No longer in the form of a bike, the Guardian Robot had one changed into his more common, humanoid form, where one of his arms was wrapped securely around Sigel's waist

_Again..._The android thought, images of a kidnapping, an old man, the threat of a permanent sleep and then rescue by the same arm wrapped around her now floating through her mind. _He saved me again!_

Yet before Sigel could even thick of a proper response to the robot, Skuld's voice was more pierced the air; sharp, clear and demanding.

"Sigel!"

Dark eyes snapped to Skuld's face, meeting a pair as equally dark, filled with a concern that only seemed to grow now that the Norn had her creation's attention. "Sigel." She repeated, her voice softer as she moved to kneel beside the 'bot. "I'll ask you again-what happened? You aren't normally the type to lose track of her surroundings."

"I..."

"_Take care of her."_

"I'm sorry Mistress. I was thinking of something else. I hadn't realized I'd moved out into the road."

Skuld's brows furrowed together, matching the frown that was steadily growing on her face at Sigel's words. "What were you thinking about that could be so important as to cause you to wander out into the middle of the road like that?" The child demanded. "There should be nothing so important that it pulls your attention from the present to the point of endangering your life." The youth rose to her feet, crossing her arms over her chest in disapproval. "Besides, I just finished repairing you _and_ Banpei. I don't want all my efforts and upgrades I installed in either of you going to waste before you two even have a chance to learn to use them." Skuld scolded. And then the hardness in her eyes softened, a small smile overtaking the frown. "Try and be more careful, okay?"

Taken aback by both the scolding and the large display of concern over her own well being, Sigel could only nod numbly, watching as Skuld smile became a larger one of approval before the Norn of the Future turned away, her attention once more returning to Sentaro, who silently watched the interaction between master and creation several feet away.

"_Take care of her."_

Again, Lady Urd's voice sighed through her mind, and this time it was Sigel's turn to frown, rising to her own feet and carefully unwrapping herself from Banpei's grasp, for once having no harsh words to the love struck robot.

Take care of her...those had been Lady Urd's parting words to her.

She'd originally thought that such a task was simple-something that was already her duty in life, simply reinforced by an overly concerned sister. Yet now...after being saved once again by Banpei-_Banpei _of all people, Sigel had caused to wonder.

How could she take care of Mistress Skuld if she couldn't even take care of herself?

* * *

"Is Sigel going to be alright?" Sentaro asked as the two youths once more mounted the bike, the lad looking back at Skuld as he kicked back the kickstand. Two hands came to rest upon the child's shoulder's as Skuld reclaimed her original position on the bike, and the Norn nodded in reassurance.

"She should be okay." Skuld responded, balancing on the spokes and smiling down at Sentaro. "I designed her to be pretty durable, especially with the latest installments." The smile dimmed minutely. "What's got me is how distracted she'd gotten. I wonder if my upgrades didn't accidentally damage one of her circuits-I'll have to check her out again later on when we get back to the shrine."

Sentaro nodded, not understanding half the words coming from Skuld's mouth but understanding the gist of it. With a grunt, the youth pushed off once more, the bike teetering momentarily before growing more stable as the bike gained speed. Having met Skuld and her sisters, as well as Skuld's angel, Sentaro had grown accustomed to the fact that his friend was not like his other friends, and even more used to the fact that whenever he was around Skuld or even in the presence of her sisters, magic was usually afloat.

And like most children, he accepted it without so much as a stray thought of doubt.

Sigel and Banpei, whom he'd met the first time when the two were in the middle of their daily game of Chase and Knockout, had thought both creations to be rather incredible upon watching Banpei get his usual cable pulled by a Rocket Punch from Sigel.

"_Cool!"_

When Skuld had given him an explanation of who they were, what they had been designed for, and why they needed to be kept a secret, Sentaro had had little difficulty agreeing with the Norn, even less prompting to keep the robots a secret from his mom or anyone else who might take an undue interest.

"Well, that's good then. It was kind of scary seeing her wander out in front of a truck like that." Sentaro said. "I'm glad nothing bad happened to her."

His back turned to her, the youth missed Skuld's nod of agreement. "Yeah..." She murmured, a small frown once more encroaching on her features.

The two were riding uphill by now, and Sentaro fell into a concentrated silence as he fought against gravity, the only sounds escaping his throat being the soft grunts of effort as he shifted to first one gear, then another, with little change to show for his efforts. "Why...won't...you...shift?" The boy growled, lifting himself off his seat as his efforts increased.

And the more he fought, the more of a growing concern formed within Skuld's chest. _Oops..._ She thought, her mind suddenly recalling several components of the bike that she'd taken from one portion in order to repair another part. It had made the bike lighter-weightless even, but it wasn't until the sudden battle uphill that Skuld came to the realization that those components of the bike were what had once been used to make such a climb easier.

And so it was a weightless bike suddenly found itself weighed down by near two hundred pounds of nothing but children.

A weight Sentaro, who, by himself weighed no where near two hundred pounds, had to fight through alone.

_This isn't good._ Skuld thought to herself, a bead of sweat trickling down her neck in anxiety as the bike slowed to a near stop, Sentaro straining against a weight that shouldn't have existed. _So why not help him?_ The Norn's own voice echoed in her head, and the dark haired youth tilted her head to the side in curiosity. Again, the voice that was her own spoke._ You're the one responsible for Sentaro's situation, yes? _The voice asked. _So why not make amends? A little boost is all he needs-just to the top of the hill. You can do a simple spell like that, right?_

"A simple spell..." Skuld murmured, echoing the voice of her subconscious and finding herself nodding in agreement. Yes...she could preform a simple spell like that. Just a quick burst of energy into the bike- a thrust, a launch, just to the hill, and then allowing momentum to take over and pull them onwards. She could do that.

Magic, in its most basic form, was little more then desire, will, and intent. With enough of all three, any spell was possible, however chants, items, practice, and experience made the process easier. Recalling earlier lessons with Belldandy, and even the occasional lesson with Urd, Skuld narrowed her eyes and concentrated.

"_Go."_

Little more then a word of command, the bike was suddenly propelled forwards as though the hounds of hell itself were on its trail. Neither child prepared for the sudden burst of power, twin yelps overtook them both as the bike was propelled uphill, tires not so much traveling on the sidewalk surface so much as _gliding_. Both children released simultaneous cries, though whether of fear or excitement was anyone's guess.

The bike reached the apex of the hill, and suddenly the duo found themselves floating, weightless, several feet in the air as they passed the apex and found themselves launched into the air. And then the short spell came to an end, and gravity took hold once more, pulling the bike once more to the ground. Had it not been for Sentaro's experience with jumps of a greater hight in the past, there was little doubt in Skuld's mind that the reunion with the ground would have been a painful one.

Yet Sentaro was in his element, and even with the additional weight of Skuld at his back, the youth easily landed the bike without so much as a single jerk which could lead to a possible downfall. Instead, momentum propelled them downhill like a rocket, gaining more and more speed as the hill steepened. Not even bothering to petal now, Sentaro let out a whoop of glee, throwing a fist into the air as the air whistled past him.

A prisoner to the one controlling the bike, Skuld's reaction was slightly different, dark eyes widening and breath catching in her throat in the form of an unreleased scream. It wasn't as bad as her crazy journey across town with Urd on Stringfellow-Skuld didn't think there was _anything_ as bad as that trip-but it still wasn't something she particularly came to enjoy, something made all the more obvious by the steadily increasing grip on Sentaro's shoulders.

Feeling the strengthening grasp beneath the cloth, Sentaro laughed, throwing his head back and caution to the wind. "Skuld, relax!" He called to her. "You can trust me! I won't let you fall!"

Had she been brave enough, Skuld would have smacked the lad. "'Won't let me fall'?" She parroted. "Sentaro, you idiot, you fall off your bike all the time!" The Norn accused. "How am I supposed to believe you won't fall off with me on it?"

Another laugh, and this time Sentaro had the nerve to look back at her, where a bike could be steered off the road for the rider who wasn't vigilant. He looked at her, a smile on his face. "Skuld, the fact that you're on the bike with me means I won't fall." He assured her. "I promise, I won't let anything bad happen to you."

And even as Skuld pulled back in surprise, blinking at the unexpected comment, Sentaro returned his attention to the front, steering his bike out of the direction of the upcoming curb and re-leveling himself on the flat terrain.

"Sentaro..."

Those words...how many times had she heard similar phrases spoken?

How many times had she seen her sister take strength in such familiar terms from the one who kept her grounded on the mortal realm?

Why was it that suddenly, Sentaro sounded just like Keiichi?

The answers to her questions were never answered.

For it was at that time that the man stepped in front of Sentaro's bike.

* * *

_Where is she?_ High up in the clouds Stringfellow flew, Urd's body spread tightly along it's staff. _Where is she?_ Desperately her senses spread out, searching for any sort of hint as to where her youngest sister could be. A spark of magic, minute and raw with inexperience, flashed through her mind off to the right, and immediately the Norn homed-in on it. _There!_ The silver haired woman dipped the nose of her broom down to the left, and immediately Stringfellow shifted it's course, dropping down into the skyscrapers of Nekomi City.

Resting in between arms bent and wrapped tightly to the wooden handle, Welsper dwelt, eyes large with an alarm caused more by Urd's emotion-driven actions rather then anything that might befall the young Norn. Ears laid flat against her skull and tucked tightly and securely between Urd's body and the broom's handle, Welsper yowled her displeasure to the world. "Urd, you need to slow down!" The cat cried. "You're going to cause too much of a scene before we even find Skuld! You're drawing too much attention to yourself!"

Yet Urd had long ago drowned out any vocal attempts the cat had made at trying to reason with the goddess, her attention narrowly focused on the magic that was exclusive to Skuld and Skuld alone. The broom entering the more urban sky, it slowed it's speed, becoming less of the blur it had once been and more recognizable for what it truly was.

Violet eyes trained to identify auras once upon a time, Urd easily identified Skuld's dark blue, finding herself more then a little relieved to see no other shades that could dictate a possible demon. Her own training having varied greatly from Belldandy's training as a goddess first-class, one of Urd's strengths had become the identification of auras-one, rumor had it, due to her unique heritage-and had even been honed to a point where Urd-with the help of a somewhat reluctant Marller and a usually ignorant mortal-could even identify a demon guised within the body of third-dimensional beings.

And there was not so much as a hint of red to be seen anywhere around Skuld's blue.

A small magical command halted Stringfellow's descent, and the broom hovered, close enough to be able to identify the surrounding skyscrapers, yet high enough to be unrecognizable by any 'believers' seeking aliens. Seeing her sibling's aura, strong and pronounce in comparison to the dimmer auras of the mortal plane, Urd released the breath she'd been holding. Feeling the beat of her heart slowing as she took comfort in Skuld's safety, the Norn straightened herself from where she'd been pressed so closely on Stringfellow's handle.

And as she straightened, so too did Welsper, ears perking up in interest as she looked up at the silver haired woman. "Satisfied?" The incarnation demanded. "The only demon here is me. Your worry was for nothing." At the black cat's words, Urd allowed herself to relax, the tension that had been steadily mounting dissipating with each breath she took.

"No other demons..." The woman murmured, gaze slowly surveying the ground for anything, _anything _that might have been suspicious. "Nothing but paranoia..." A laugh that bordered on hysteria escaped her throat, and Urd ran a hand through long, white hair. She shook her head disdain at her own actions, allowing a small smile to grace her features at her own foolishness.

"Well then, let's change that, shall we?"

A new voice, one from behind her, and even as Urd turned to identify the owner of the voice, a red flare appeared below in Nekomi, bright and angry from her mind's eye.

And right in front of the dark ocean blue that was Skuld.

"Sku-" Urd's cry was cut off as something sharp whizzed by her head, slicing short several strands of hair and once more forcing her to look towards the demon floating several feet behind her.

"Ah ah ah." The demon-a male, again, one she didn't recognize, wagged a finger at her. "I do believe, my dear, that you have larger problems to deal with then my friend down there." He smiled at her with a shark's grin, an otherworldly viciousness dancing behind eyes a poisonous green. "After all, it _is_ you we are after. Even if my good friend Vetala does decide to have some fun with the little ones down their, your primary concern should be your own safety, not theirs."

Urd tensed in alarm at the mention of the second demon, and she felt a growl escape her throat. "Don't you dare touch them." She hissed, eyes narrowing angrily. "You know what will happen if you touch a tenth-dimensional child-they're off limits from your type until they've established themselves among the rest of us."

The demon laughed, the smile widening further into an almost mocking grin. "Listen to the Little Daimakaicho." He taunted. "Preaching the laws set in stone by her own mother, whose very blood she ignores." The man rubbed the stubble on his chin, as though thinking carefully on some grand matter. "Are you sure you are not the demon and we the gods?" He queried. "For from where I stand, it certainly seems that way. The heavens have no rule on harming beings so young-it's simply not in their nature to harm anymore, what with how soft they've gotten since the old days. Such a law should have no meaning to one who claims to be a goddess-yet here we are, with demons disobeying demon's law and a goddess preaching it." The stranger threw his head back and laughed. "Ah...the ironies never cease, do they?"

Urd's frown deepened, finding herself listening with only one ear as the remainder of her attention diverted south, violet eyes darting from the large red aura that had appeared in front of Skuld's blue and back to the demon in front of her. "You're part of Vikoka's crew, aren't you?" She demanded, an idea, wild and crazy, beginning to form in the back of her mind as the man nodded. "Fine then. Before we start dancing, let me ask you something." Again, eyes shifted away from the man, this time to the small cat that sat hunched on her broom, leaning hard into her body and hissing continuously as the stranger.

If the man noticed her drifting attention, he paid it little mind, instead crossing lean arms across a chest adorned with a simple green shirt. "Yes?" He inquired, head tilting off to the side from underneath a head of brown hair. "What question does the Little Daimakaicho have for one so unworthy?" His arms swung wide, and mockingly, he bowed to the Norn, the smile never leaving his face.

Wild violets met sickly emeralds, and Urd bit her lip, biting back the retort she wanted to shout to him. Instead, the goddess swallowed a lump that had grown in her throat, before asking, "What is Vikoka trying to achieve? I can get the whole 'catch me' part of it in order to get to Hild, but why? What are you trying to do? I've heard 'vengeance', but why? What was done to him-and the rest of you, for that matter-that would make you all turn against your ruler? And what are you planning on doing once you've extracted your vengeance?"

One by one, the questions spilled out, Urd finding herself unable to contain the questions that had been forming in the back of her mind since the learning of Vikoka's name. They'd become a steady build-up over the past week, and now that one had escaped, so too did the rest, and even with the danger of her current predicament, the wild idea she planned to extract upon the unnamed demon and his partner, desperately, Urd hoped that one-_at least_ one-of her questions would be answered.

The stranger arched an eyebrow at her questions, but otherwise remained silent, instead choosing simply to stare at the woman. Urd felt herself fidget underneath his gaze, yet her own stubbornness held his gaze with her own, and the Norn refused to look away. Moments that felt like years passed, and after several seconds of silence, the man shrugged. "Let's just say a certain number of people believe it is time for the current Daimakaicho to retire." He said. "We're the ones who are going to do just that, placing the one _we_ believe best suited for the job on the throne."

_But Vikoka said..._

"Does that answer your questions?"

_Someone is lying..._It was a smaller part of her, one that consisted of little more then whispers and sighs, and filled with so much intuitive reasoning that she'd found it to rarely be mistaken in the past. And again, a feeling overcame her-one of distance and closeness, all and once and non-existent. She felt a smile encroach on her feature, large and lined with teeth that spoke of anything but peace. "You know what?" Her voice spoke, yet again, the feeling of someone else taking hold of her body overtook her, and this time, rather then question it, Urd found herself accepting it, allowing herself to become a spectator within her own body as another part of her played itself out. "That's not a good reason at all."

A wave of calm seemed to seep into her mind, and around her, the world seemed to slow to a stop. Eyes that had grown glossy with an otherworldly possession left the demon-_Pisaca, _the voice identified-and drifted down to Welsper.

The cat never had a chance to react before Urd grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and hurtled her at the demon.

Pisaca never had a chance to react to the action, and green eyes widened as the shrieking blur that was Welsper left Urd's hand, launched at the man's head where needle-sharp claws buried into his face. The force of the launch sent Pisaca spinning head over heels in the air, and a muffled scream merged with the wild yowl of fear and anger.

And as his hands moved to pry the animal from his flesh, Urd bolted, leaving Welsper as the lone distraction she could afford as she once again sent a bolt of commanding magic into Stringfellow, a tunnel vision brought on by fear and adrenaline narrowing her view to the two hued aura that belonged to Skuld and Vetala.

* * *

"Sentaro, watch out!" Skuld cried, something from within reaching into her chest and clenching her heart in a manner that scared her, perhaps more so then the large man-large _demon_-that had stepped out so suddenly in front of the bike.

The warning needed no say however, for as soon as he laid eyes on the man, Sentaro gripped the breaks to his bike, a shout of warning to the dark man escaping his throat. Yet his warning went ignored, the man thrusting his left arm out in front of him instead. What felt like a great gust of wind flew into the children on the bike, and twin yells rose in chorus as the bike was propelled backwards, crashing further up top the hill and spilling its occupants to the ground.

Sprawled underneath the bike, Skuld quickly scrambled out from underneath it, fear dispersing any pain that accompanied the crash. "Sentaro, are you okay?" The young Norn shoved the bike off the lad, who moaned as he rolled onto his stomach, pushing himself to his hands and knees with a wince.

"I...I think so..." He murmured, looking up into concerned dark eyes and grasping the hand Skuld offered, allowing the girl to help pull him to his feet. "What was that?" He asked, rubbing an elbow that throbbed and burned. The hand that came away was bloodied.

Skuld felt herself grow tense at the sight of the red, and her gaze diverted back to the demon in front as he casually made his way towards them. "It was magic..." She murmured, swallowing a throat that had suddenly grown dry. A smile that was as sadistic as it was unpleasant appeared on the demon's face as he drew closer to the children, and Skuld drew back, grabbing Sentaro's hand and forcing the boy to do the same. "...Demon's magic..."

The man halted several feet before them, the bike separating the distance between children and adult as one of it's wheels spun forlornly in the air. "What irresponsible brats." A voice that sounded like grinding stone growled out from a chiseled face of stone. "What are you trying to do, run someone over?" He demanded, glaring at first the fallen bike, then to Skuld and Sentaro, where his eyes met the Norn's.

There was no kindness in them.

In front of them, Vetala continued. "And you'd think that a couple of kids would have some sort of manners too-enough to at least get an apology out of them-but it seems to be a lost cause." He bared his teeth in a snarl. "Is this really the state of Heaven's children these day? Are they all so high and mighty that they aren't even taught manners anymore?"

It was an insult, and despite her own cautions drilled into her head over the past week, Skuld bristled at the implied comment. Stepping in front of Sentaro, the child placed her hands on her hips. "Is that so?" She snapped, startling Sentaro with her sudden aggression. "Well then let me apologize-maybe if a big dum-dum like you hadn't decided to take a stroll in front of a bike speeding down hill, you wouldn't have found yourself nearly run down."

The man narrowed eyes the color of granite at the girl, and behind her, Sentaro felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. "Skuld..." He cautioned, hesitantly resting a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Be careful...I don't know who this guy is, but he's giving off some real bad vibes." His voice was low and soft, just strong enough for Skuld to hear. "I don't think it'd be a good idea to piss this guy off anymore then he already is."

Yet Skuld shrugged him off, crossing her arms over her chest. Her head swerved around and her eyes met his, and Sentaro was surprised to see not the glare he'd come to expect in her current mood, but a smirk, Skuld's eyes sharp and plotting with an intellect that seemed alien in one so young. Skuld winked at him, mouthed one word to the boy, and then went right back to her own verbal attack on the demon.

_Time._

"Time?" Sentaro repeated, brows furrowing together as he mimicked the word she'd mouthed to him. "Time for what?" He asked.

"Time for a rocket-punch!"

A roar like a jet engine screamed over Sentaro's head, and the boy looked up just in time to see Banpei glide through the air, a rather irate Sigel cradled in his arms. Vetala, who'd steadily been encroaching on a Norn who stubbornly refused to be intimidated by the demon, paused from the odd argument he'd found himself enveloped in and looked up. Right in time to see the 'droid aim a fist in his general direction and launch it into his face.

Too flabbergasted at the sight of a flying robot holding a little girl, the thought of dodging the flying fist never even entered Vetala's mind, and the demon stared stupidly as the robotic fist smashed into his face.

A smile that bordered on the edge of fearsome spread across Skuld's face, and the girl looked back to Sentaro, grabbing him by the hand and dragging him forward to his bike. "Come on!" She shouted. "While Sigel and Banpei distract him! Get on the bike and go!"

The lad stumbled behind her before he regained his footing and allowed her to lead, the children coming to a halt in front of the bike. With little urging, the boy grabbed and straightened it, revealed to see no damage that might hinder his ability to ride it. Mounting it, he looked back to Skuld, whose gaze had traveled once more to the demon, whose own attention seemed to be as great as a goldfish's, and was currently shouting a variety of insults at the two robotics, Skuld and Sentaro long having disappeared from within his mind. "Skuld!" He snapped, his own fear and confusion over what was happening seeping into his temper.

The girl jumped before once more looking towards him. "What are you waiting for?" The lad demanded. "You said it yourself-those two are distracting him for us-nows our chance to get away! Come on!" He waved her towards the back of his bike, the motions quick and anxious as he caught motions of a battle and destruction he didn't fully understand at the corner of his eyes.

Yet Skuld frowned, shaking her head. "No." She said. "I'm not going to leave my friends behind and run. This is as much my battle as theirs-I'm going to help them!" As if to prove her statement, Skuld reached behind her back, pulling out what looked like a rather large toy gun. Gripping it with both hands and ignoring the look Sentaro was sending her, the child aimed her weapon at Vetala who, after the fist had dropped from his face, had suddenly decided that the two robots were a more appetizing target then the two children he'd been sent to intercept.

Small fingers moved to the trigger, only to pause as Sigel's body entered her vision. "Mistress, don't!" The android said hotly. "You need to escape! Listen to Sentaro and get out of here while we distract him!" The pigtailed girl yelped as a chunk of the earth sailed past her head, and Sigel turned once more to face her opponent, ignorant of the expression of disbelief that had appeared on Skuld's face.

"What?" She demanded. "Are you _serious_?" Her own _creation_ wanted her to turn and run? To leave both her creations there to be torn to pieces by a demon they'd never faced before? "Sigel, what is _wrong _with you?" She screamed to the girl, who'd already run several feet away, Vetala once more on her tail. Again, Skuld raised her weapon from where she'd let it drop at Sigel's actions. "I'm not going to just stand by and watch some demon destroy you or Banpei-what kind of person would I be if I did? We're going to take this guy down together! He can't beat all three of us!"

Again, her fingers move to grasp the trigger, the demon Vetala in her sight.

Again, something prevented her from shooting the demon-this time in the form of Banpei's metal hand pointing the barrel to the ground.

"Banpei?"

The robot shook it's head and pointed behind her. She followed the hand, meeting Sentaro's gaze.

The boy looked terrified.

"Mistress Skuld, _please_ leave this one to us!" Again, Sigel's voice shouted to her ears. "We know what will happen if we stay and fight while you go, and both Banpei and I have accepted that fact. But if you fight with us, Sentaro might get hurt as well."

Skuld turned once more to her two creations, finding that Banpei had switched with Sigel, and as the guardian robot fought the demon with missiles against magic made of stone, Sigel met her eyes. "We are metal and oil. We can be broken-we can be fixed." As though to prove her point, a portion of Sigel's are opened, and a gun of her own appeared in it's place. "But Sentaro is flesh and blood."

"You can't fix him if he breaks."

The words struck a cord in Skuld, and again her head whipped to Sentaro, who's eyes were filled with a mortal terror she had never witnessed before.

To Sentaro, who's right elbow was stained a bright red, small rivets of blood seeping down his arm and to his hand.

To Sentaro, who had stained the handlebars of his bike a muddy red with hands a dirty shade of the same color.

"_You can't fix him if he breaks."_

"We have our responsibilities, Mistress, just as you have yours. Ours is to protect you. And right now, your's should be protecting Sentaro."

The boy had tears in his eyes, ones that stubbornly refused to fall as once more the boy called out to her, his voice harsh and ragged as again, the words she'd refused to hear met her ears. "Skuld! Please, _please _come with me! I'm not going to leave you behind! Let's _go_!"

And she ran to him, a small part of her hating herself for leaving behind the family she'd given life to. She mounted the bike, ignoring the tears that began to fall as behind her, her creations, her _children_ fought on, sacrificing their lives so she and the boy whom she rested her hands on might live on. And as the bike pushed into motion, Skuld buried her face in the back of Sentaro's shirt, letting the cloth absorb her tears as she felt a pulse not her own, wild and erratic, throb from deep within Sentaro.

Sigel watched as the children disappeared down the hill, rounding a corner of a building and vanishing from sight. She smiled in relief, one that felt bitter-sweet and foreign as she turned to face Vetala once more. A lucky strike from the demon sent Banpei crashing near her-almost into her-by several inches. She looked to the robot, feeling an odd sense of camaraderie and purpose as two pairs of robotic lenses met.

"_Take care of her."_

Those had been Urd's words to her before they all had left.

"Are you ready Banpei?"

The robot picked itself up, nodding to her.

"Then let's show this guy the reason why he doesn't mess with Mistress Skuld." Another nod, and the robot pulled out a marker from one of it's storage canisters, drawing a pair of angry eyebrows on his face.

He charged the demon, missiles and rockets blazing in a fury.

"Good-bye Mistress Skuld."

And with a scream all her own, Sigel followed after.

* * *

A/N: Oh! You know what's a real bad idea when writing AMG fanfiction?

Re-reading Angel Sanctuary.

It was getting to the point where I was having some very strange, deranged dreams involving characters from both series. I think the creepiest had to be something about a cross-dressing male named Aracune and Marller sharing a body like the Astoroth twins in Angel Sanctuary, and the Princess of Evils, Kurai, and little Urd being one in the same person.

Anyways, odd dreams aside, I didn't really like how the interaction between the kids and Vetala came out. My original thought was to make him kind of slow, thus being why he was so easily distracted by the two 'bots and only seemed to get into an argument with Skuld on first meeting. I don't know if it came out as hoped , but...such is life.

Idea of throwing Welsper to the wolves shamelessly stolen from the _Slayers_ OAV's.


	15. Cat and Mouse

"Why didn't you leave?"

The bike hummed as the two children continued their speedy escape, fueled with a strength brought on by fear and adrenaline as they turned down one corner, passed another, swerved down another-anything to put as much distance behind themselves and the demon who'd intercepted them as possible. The tears that had plagued her with the departure from her creations having slowed to a stop with a steadily increasing distance, Skuld raised her head from where she had buried it within Sentaro's shirt, ignoring the dark spots that had formed as the cloth absorbed the liquid and staring at the back of the lad's dark head. "Don't ignore me Sentaro." She ordered, a throb of dull anger swelling in her chest-be if for herself, her robots, for Sentaro-making her tone harsh. "I told you to leave. Why did you stay behind?"

_Turn another corner, ride down into that alley, go straight across the street you come out at._

"I'm not a chicken, Skuld." Sentaro's voice, for all his own fear and energy, was surprisingly soft on the breeze. "Besides-I'm a boy." He explained. "And my big brother always said boys are supposed to protect girls. He's the smartest person in the world-and he's never wrong, either-so don't try and say I'm wrong."

Skuld stared down at the boy from where she stood over his head, more then a little surprised at his words. Then the girl sighed, moving to rest her forehead against the back of his. "Idiot." She whispered. "You're such an idiot, Sentaro."

She felt soft hair shift underneath her face as the boy tilted his head to look up at her. The Norn of the Future lifted her own once more, and stared into a grinning face that tried hard to look fearless. "My brother used to call me that all the time too." He said. "Especially when I hurt myself real bad and landed in the hospital." Again he turned away, direction the bike onto the road as the duo exited an alley, crossing the street and moving into another alley. Not looking back at her he said, "But it's okay-the first time he called me that, I got real sad until my mom told me later he said it 'cause he was scared."

The bike steered down into another street, where the lad took a sharp left.

_Take a left, follow the curve of the street to the next stoplight. Turn right. Go through the small entrance in the upcoming wall only wide enough for pedestrians, not cars-remember, the goal isn't just distance. It's also creating a route that's near untraceable with either a car or dogs or pursuing bikes. Remember this route, Sentaro, as I'm not going to be around anymore to look out for you. Mom has to look out for our baby sister now, and dad is always at work. You'll have to fend for yourself whenever you go out now."_

They sped through a small entrance in wall separating a cul-de-sac from the opposing street, falling into a more suburban district.

"Hey Skuld?"

"Yeah Sentaro?"

"I'm sorry I scared you."

A moment of silence followed the apology, one that stretched on into an eternity with nothing but the soft hum of a bike for company. It was broken when the hands that came to rest on Sentaro's shoulders-ones that had proved as much a reassurance as an actual presence-shifted their grip. Two pale arms instead moved to awkwardly wrap around him in an embrace, and Skuld's voice was in his ear. "It's okay Sentaro." She said. "I..I'm sorry for scaring you too. And...thanks for not leaving me behind."

The words sounded awkward coming from Skuld, one whom Sentaro knew from experience held a great deal of pride.

And then quickly, just as the words were out, the embrace was gone, and Skuld's fists were once more woven tightly into his shirt. The Norn looked around, taking in surroundings that had grown foreign and alien the farther the duo left the main road. "Where are we, anyways?" She asked. The girl had never been in their current area before.

"It's just another part of the neighborhood." Sentaro said. "I have some friends that live around here. I was thinking it might be safe to go to them and see if they'll let us use a phone to call home. It's better then trying to ride all the way home when that freaky guy is still out there." The bike slowed as they moved further into the area, Sentaro's eyes starting to stray from house to house, searching for the house his other friends resided in.

The bike at a more leasurly pace now, Skuld felt some of the tension that had mounted on her back since the start of their escape ease away, and her thoughts turned inwards. _So that was one of the demons after Urd?_ She thought to herself. _I guess it was a good thing that Banpei and Sigel were with me then..._Recalling the two bot's current situation, Skuld frowned, and she thrust her head skywards, hoping to banish the unwanted memories and undesired images fighting for dominance in her mind with the warm rays of the sun. She didn't _want_ to think about what might happen to Banpei and Sigel. They were strong-she'd built them after all-they could handle a simple demon like that.

Above her head, the sky was dominated with clouds, large and white and billowing. The girl took in the sight, forcing herself to relax and her conscious to drift, focusing on no one thing in particular. _But then...we left Urd all alone at home. _She watched as a black speck-a bird, or perhaps a high flying plane, flew into her vision. Dark eyes trailed it, watching as another speck intercepted it, causing the first to dance away. Birds then. _I wonder then if they might try to attack her at the Shrine..._Because wasn't Belldandy and Keiichi at the school?

The child shook her head, banishing the uncomfortable thoughts from her mind. "Bah, what am I thinking?" She muttered to herself. "It isn't like Urd can't take care of herself-and she made it obvious the last time she needed our help."

_Wild eyes, an animal's snarl, murder painted on her face._

"_Come Little Valkyrie. Let me taste the blood of your angel."_

Her breath caught in her throat, and once more Skuld shook her head as a nightmare she'd fought long to banish resurfaced in her mind's eye. _No, no, NO! That wasn't Urd! She isn't like that! It was a bad dream and a bad potion-you know Urd doesn't want to taste an angel's blood. She's not a monster or a demon like the Daimakaicho or Mara. So stop thinking like that! _Something stirred from within her chest, and carefully, Skuld brought a hand to her heart, feeling the strong beat that lay beneath. "It's okay." She murmured. "Urd's not going to hurt us-not like that-she'd never do something like that. So calm down, Nobel Scarlet."

A rustling of feathers that she couldn't see, the wordless dribble of the brook that was her angel's voice, and the restlessness eased away. The Norn sighed, bringing the hand back to Sentaro and leaning back once more. Dark eyes returned to the sky, spying the two birds from before and watching as they danced and twirled in the air.

Only they weren't birds anymore.

And those same dark eyes widened, and despite herself, her heart leaped into Skuld's throat.

"Urd!"

* * *

_Curse it all, where the hell are they going?_ Urd's face was a mask of panic as she followed the blue aura that was Skuld, hidden high within the clouds hovering above Nekomi and masking her sight from a demon's view. The only good thing that had happened since the aura had begun to move was the fact that the red representing the opposing demon-Vetala-had remained behind. _I hope that means those damned machines of Skuld's are doing something useful for a change._ She thought, pausing from her area of cover within the sky as she tried to regain her bearings.

That demon-_Pisaca_, the voice in the back of her mind reminded her-she'd lost track of him when she'd run. There was no sign of him anymore, nor the darker red that bordered on purple representing Welsper with her purified demon. The Norn swore aloud, a small part of her wondering if anything had befallen the demon incarnate and surprising herself with the small amount of guilt that arose in her breast at her actions towards the beast. In all honesty, Urd shouldn't have cared less about the cat-her demon counterpart had caused a great deal of trouble for Belldandy and the rest of heaven, and the Norn would have loved to have not had to deal with it's incarnated form after the Daimakaicho had first descended onto the mortal plane. For her to be feeling any sort of guilt or responsibility to the little demon left her strangely uncomfortable.

"Guess I'm going to have to get Belldandy a new pet." She muttered, cautiously urging Stringfellow out into the open, where there were no clouds to block her view. The woman looked to the horizon, where only the sublime red glow of the demon on the ground met her gaze-distant and faded with the children's travels away from the man.

But that still didn't explain what became of the other.

"What, first you're trying to run from him, now your trying to run _into _him?" She asked herself, running a hand through silver locks of hair. "You really are a piece of work, you know that Urd? Forget about him for right now-Welsper too-you should be focusing on getting Skuld back to safety." Slowly, the Norn guided Stringfellow off in the direction of Skuld's aura, keeping her senses alert and open for any sign of attack. Out in the open as she was, so close to her goal she could almost see Skuld's dark head from the ground below, Urd was in the perfect position for an attack...Or so her paranoid mind whispered.

It would have been nice if her paranoia was based on the illusions of her mind rather then an actual threat.

A yowl rose from high above her head, and Urd froze, her face jerking to the sun, the source of the yowl, whose bright rays immediately blinded her.

Yet even as she brought her face away from the light, a hand moving to cover blinded violet, Urd's mind was still filled with the red imprint of a demon's aura, concealed in the light of the sun.

The Norn cursed as something plowed into her, knocking her and the broom she road upon askew. Dimly, the Norn was aware of something sinking claws into her shoulder, and the woman blinked, finding a fuzzy, spot covered Welsper crawling onto her shoulder once more. "Don't just sit here!" The cat shrieked. "Move! Before he catches you!"

Eyes still seeing little more then blurs and spots, Urd grimaced before finally tilting her shoulder to the left, knocking Stringfellow into a barrel roll as goddess and cat moved first one way, then another. "Urd! What the hell are you doing?" The cat demanded, her claws sinking deeper into the woman's flesh, and only seeming to further agitate the goddess.

The woman looked the cat in the eyes-or at least, she tried too-and Welsper blinked in confusion at the oddly dilated pupils. "Welsper, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not entirely sure where I'm going at the moment." She growled. "So please, feel free to make a suggestion or two if you want to help."

Something sharp sliced through the air, whistling past Welsper's ears and narrowly missing Urd's cheek, instead slicing off several locks of hair.

"Fine!" The demon-incarnate snarled. "Here's one-_Not that way!_"

The scream announced right in Urd's ear, the woman yelped in pain, thrusting the broom down and away from the direction of Welsper's voice, a part of her wondering if she wasn't going to come out of the battle half-blind and half-deaf from the demons at her side and back.

The broom dipped down and to the right, and Urd felt her stomach leave her somewhere in the clouds above. _At this rate, I won't be able to eat for a week._ She thought grimly, feeling Welsper shift her position on her shoulder, to the point where the cat's tail whacked her in the mouth.

Resisting the sudden odd urge to bite the furry appendage off, Urd glared at the occupied shoulder, her eyes having cleared just enough to make out the cat's rump at her face rather then Welsper's familiar face. "Cat, what the hell do you think you're doing!" Urd all but roared. "I do _not_ want your ass in my face while I'm blindly dogfighting a damned demon!"

The black cat's head whipped back, and Welsper glared in a rage of an almost equal degree. "Well forgive me if I'm trying to be helpful!" She yowled. "I'm not exactly having the time of my life here either!"

Again, something whizzed above Welsper's head. Again, something almost clipped Urd's ear, instead taking off even more locks of silver.

Twin cries filled the air at the attack, and Welsper turned once more to the demon at their backs. Pisaca was slowly pursuing behind them, a hunter's smile on his face and his speed steady, neither increasing nor decreasing as he trailed after the goddess, throwing knives hued with red in-between his fingers. "Go left! _Go left!_ Urd did as ordered, tilting the broom up and throwing her weight to the left, bringing them both _closer_ to Pisaca rather then panning away from the man. "No Urd, your other left!" Welsper's cries were desperate. "_My _left!" Again, Urd shifted her weight, this time just quickly enough to avoid one of the knives that cut through the air, it's intent unkind as it narrowly missed Urd's arm.

"You're not helping!" Urd screamed, tilting her own head back to look at the ears that had turned to listen to her. "Why don't you just shut up? I don't need a back seat driver telling me how to drive!" Again, Welsper's tail smacked into her mouth, this time with Urd's mouth wide open, and the woman gagged as the taste of fur assaulted her. Too disgusted to even think about biting the tail off, Urd spit the now-wet appendage out, the taste of fur remaining behind and refusing to leave. _Ew. _She thought. _Ew, ew, ew, EW!_ Something wafted into her nose, and Urd's eyes widened in further disgust as she realized what the cat had just done.

"_It smells like TUNA!"_

The comment was so sudden, so random, that Pisaca, lost in his own joy of a rare hunt for a goddess, actually paused from where he hovered, posed and ready to launch another of his throwing knives. In stead, the man stared in a strange kind of dumbfoundment as the goddess he'd been so steadily pursuing came to an abrupt halt on her broom. His own curiosity getting the better of him, the demon held back his attack, instead watching as the woman that was to inherit the title of 'Daimakaicho' seemed to fall into a spasm on top her broom, before finally reaching up and grabbing what he could only guess was the cause from her brief lapse with sanity.

The cat.

"Welsper, you son-of-a-bitch, I aught to end you're life right here and now!" Urd snarled, both hands reaching to wrap around the cat, bringing the black incarnation in front of her and shaking to poor beast back and forth, to the point where Welsper was almost certain she could hear her brain rattling in her skull. Urd's eyes flashed in rage, and the cat prepared herself for the worst. "So why don't I just..." The goddess turned to face the demon at her back, before moving to deposit the cat back on the broom, tucked away safely once more between Urd's arms. "...Leave Belldandy to deal with you!"

Eyes clear and angry once more with a baited time, Urd aimed her hand at Pisaca, where a burst of undirected lighting surged from her fingers. Bolts of bright purple lighting danced away from the goddess, moving to instead wrap around the demon's lithe form like a deadly chain, electrocuting the man from where he hovered in the sky.

Again, taken aback by the strange display of tactics, Pisaca found himself capable of little retaliation 'sides a scream as magic of a foreign nature bit into him hungrily, winding around him and causing the demon to lose his concentration, forcing him from the sky.

Urd's smile, the _Daimakaicho's_ smile-wild and insane, malicious and cruel-was the last he saw before the Norn turned away from him, sending long strands of silver flying in the breeze.

"No..."

He wasn't going to let her get away-not this time, when she'd already gotten away once. Not now, where he was so close to her he could _touch _her.

And it was Urd's turn to scream as a hand wrapped around her hair and _pulled._

The woman's head was yanked back, and pain ridden amethysts eyes met a matching pair of emerald as Pisaca sneered at her, ignoring as best he could the bolts that continued to dance across his body.

He was pulling her to the ground, where below-up became down, down became up with her head held back-another demon, this one larger then her current opponent, stood ready and waiting, eying her with a wolf's gaze as the duo-trio, if one counted Welsper-fell to the ground below.

"No!" Urd screamed, her voice crisp and clear-an order to stop that went ignored by the one holding her prisoner.

Her body wrapped tightly around the handle of Stringfellow and Welsper tucked even tighter in between her body and the broom, Urd barely realized what she was doing until the Angel Biter was out in the open, it's blade refracting the light of the sun and it's whispers singing lullabies of temptation in her ears.

_This one has prey within it..._A voice, one she recognized as not her own, taunted her at the back of her mind. Urd froze. Never, not once, had the consciousness of the blade held within her hand spoken to her before. _For what reason do you hesitate, Goetia? _It was confused. It was honestly _confused_ as to why Urd had frozen at it's voice. For some reason, it seemed even worse then if the blade had been mocking her, trying to trick her into an action it knew she would never act upon. _Are you not hungry? _It continued, unabated by her inaction. _Do you not wish to know the taste of Magnetite once more?_

_Hungry? Once...more?_

What did it mean? She'd never attacked an angel in such a manner before. Why was it speaking as though she'd already committed such an act in the past? _Is it...talking about Mara? _Had the blade mistaken her for it's original owner somehow? It had called her _Goetia_, just as Welsper had. Had Mara been one of the few to have earned that title, so long ago? Had _Marller_? The Norn grit her teeth in irritation, a snarl appearing on her face as she looked to the demon dragging her to the ground. _His devil...the blade wants his devil..._

Did the Goetia eat devils as well as angels? But wouldn't that mean that they were cannibalizing their own people? Devouring another half of a soul that was still demonic in nature? _Magnetite. _That was the essence of all things magical-be they divine or damned. It was what angels and devils were made of, the essence gods and demons survived upon. The more magnetite a creature had, the stronger it wasUrd didn't know, her questions brining little more then foggy memories that held more semblance to dreams then a past she'd laid to rest.

Behind the demon with eyes of a green poison, the ground loomed closer, Vetala's arms open and wide in greeting. Urd felt a scream tear through her throat, and the knife, who's cries were those of a ravenous beast, descended upon the hand that held her hostage.

The Angel Biter sliced through Urd's hair, leaving Pisaca with little more then locks of silver, descending with him as he touched the ground.

And Urd rightened herself on Stringfellow, her head lighter then she could eber remember as she gripped a demon's blade singing a hunter's song in one hand, Stringfellow's handle in the other. "Let's get out of here Stringfellow!" The Norn ordered, sending a large burst of energy into the broom and propelling it and it's occupants into the sky once more.

Confused, scared, and filled with an adrenaline born of a will to survive, Urd never had a chance to realize that the direction she moved into was not the one in which Skuld resided in.

* * *

Below her, Pisaca's body, drained of magic and stunned from Urd's attack, collided with the ground. His world burst into stars, and dimly, the man watched as strands of white drifted down on top his body. _It's raining silver..._He thought as the remnants of Urd's hair touched down lightly on top of him.

A shadow descended over his body, and as the goddess that was trailing into oblivion disappeared from sight, Vetala's stony gaze replacing it. "You want me to go after her or the kid?" He asked, kneeling by his smaller comrade and offering the demon a hand. Pisaca took it, and with a strength fitting of his large form, Vetala lifted the demon to his feet, keeping a firm grip on the lithe man to prevent him from falling once more.

Pisaca brought a hand to his face, rubbing eyes that seemed to only grow irritated at his touch. He pulled the hand away, staring at his palm and the silver strands that clung to it. "Vetala, let me ask you something." He said. "Can you fly?

The demon sent him a look before snorting. "Course not Pisaca. You know I'm too big to fly-I'm grounded."

"Then what the hell makes you think you can go after a freak goddess on a broomstick?"

Nothing but silence greeted his ears, and Pisca nodded. "Exactly." He said. "You're better off with the kid. From what we've seen, she's still too inexperienced to be doing any sort of flying yet. You could probably chase 'em down without too much of a hassle."

A grunt, followed by a nod from Vetala. "Got a point there." He muttered, releasing Pisaca in favor of digging a large hand into the pocket of his jeans. "But she whupped you like a cur Pisaca." The demon withdrew something from his pocket, and he offered it to the smaller demon. "That lady knocked you silly with that magic of hers-you think you can keep going?"

Pisaca grabbed the small elixer that Vetala had offered, swiping it from the hand that offered and breaking the cap, quickly downing the small amount of liquid inside the vial. Fire burned down his throat, traversing throughout his body and filling him with a renewed strength that had begun to fade. "I should be okay." He replied, lifting the now empty vial as though in toast. "That woman should be with us well before this potion of yours finishes its course."

The man leaped into the air, allowing his magic to return once more and surround him, lifting the demon into the air. "Stop letting yourself get distracted with children's toys, Vetala, and stop letting a couple of kids run circles round you with petty arguments. You're a grown demon-shut up, knock the brat Norn out, and bring her back with you. It's not a hard task." And with his words of wisdom settling within the large man's mind, Pisaca turned and flew off, chasing after a goddess wielding a blade crafted by demons.

* * *

_That was Urd._

At Skuld's outburst, Sentaro had slowed his bike to a halt, turning to Skuld and following her eyes to the heavens, both children watching as the woman in question danced in the sky as she sought to outmaneuver to blades of the man chasing after her. They were far-too far-too high to hear the concerned cries of a child, nor be affected by anything Skuld had in her inventory. The only thing the two children could do was watch.

Watch as Urd ducked and dove, weaving in and around invisible waves of air currents as she avoided red projectiles-the daggers consumed with the demon's magic-try to out speed a demon, much as a deer sought to outrun a wolf, ignorant of the energy it was quickly burning up against it's pursuer's higher endurance and stamina. View one attack versus another, until finally a demon fell from the sky, only to drag a goddess down with it.

Watch as both opponents disappeared behind high rising houses, neither one rising into the children's view once more.

"Sentaro." The youth redirected his attention to Skuld, his eyes wide with alarm. Skuld stared back, swallowing the lump that was steadily forming in her throat. "You're staying with me throughout this whole thing, aren't you?" It was a statement more then a question, and Skuld felt a wane smile spread across her face as a look like steel appeared on the lad's young face, and the boy nodded without so much as a moment's hesitation.

The Norn of the Future nodded her head, gently squeezing the youth's shoulders in thanks. "Then...I don't think we should be heading to your friend's house." She said cautiously, carefully watching Sentaro's expression for any signs of reluctance. Seeing nothing but steel, the dark haried girl continued. "I don't know if that guy got Urd or not, but I think that the demons chasing her might consider me a target too." The child felt her voice begin to tremble, and the girl swallowed, biting back the nervousness she felt. "Do you think we can find an area where there are less people?" She asked. "A way back to the shrine where there aren't as many people who might get hurt?" _A place where I can use my weapons?_

Sentaro frowned, his eyes drifting off to one side in thought as he tried to think of an area that might fit the young goddess's needs. "I...I think I might know a place." He said. "If we follow the bank north, we'll stay in an area where no one really live. Would that work?"

Skuld rubbed her chin in thought, dark eyes narrowing as she played out one scenario in her head versus another. A moment of silence, and finally the young Norn nodded. "Yes..." She murmured. "I think we might be able to pull it off." Her eyes drifted down to Sentaro, who returned her gaze with determined eyes of his own. "Will you take me there?"

A nod.

"Then let's go."

With a grunt, the boy shoved off, a new mission in his mind and a heart singing with adventure. The lad kept his gaze forward, refusing to look to the side as the two children passed the house they once were to take refuge in, ignoring the voice of protest that rose in the back of his mind, telling him to return to saftey and abandon his dreams of adventure. _You're going to regret this._ The voice of reason whispered in his ear. _You have no place among such things. You are a boy-a regular, human boy. There are no magical powers within you, no giant robots you can call, no abilities aside from what you can do on a bike. What makes you think you can protect this girl?_

The lad grit his teeth at the voice. _What makes you think I can't? _He challenged, before abandoning his thoughts for the present, where the song of spokes on the wind mingled with the whistle of the wind. _I already said I was going to protect her. _He thought, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. _And I intend to keep my word._

They exited the cul-de-sac, and again, Sentaro found himself taking a trail drilled into his head by a brother several years gone, the route, taken so many times, forever imprinted in his mind. Down one street, a turn at another, continuing on and on in such a manner until Skuld could only wonder if the two of them weren't somehow running in circles and that somehow, Sentaro had gotten the two of them lost.

Yet the boy's stance remained calm, if a little nervous-there were no indications of panic that might reveal a boy who was lost. And so rather then question her friend, Skuld instead directed her attention elsewhere once more, allowing herself to simply trust in Sentaro's abilities and familiarity with the area they were in. _Now, what was that spell Urd had taught me? To track a presence...expand the senses...search for the one who 'tastes' different from the others, the one that is out of place or is alien to what I'm familiar with..._With a deep breath, Skuld closed her eyes, feeling first the warmth that was her own unique aura-one that tasted of spring water, clear and sharp and free-to the more Earthly presence of the boy underneath her hands-an aura of a murky gray, of cities and steel and machines on the surface, followed by a warmer, livelier presence underneath.

Further outwards the Norn slowly spread her senses, feeling the darts of energy that were a bird's life streak above her, to the slower, stronger gray of the various inhabitants of the buildings they passed, of the people of the street and the ones who drove past in cars, all holding the same opaque gray of a city, one that covered the true aura colors that dwelled beneath and creating less of a focal point as one aura blended with another, shielded by the city they resided within. _So those are the ones that 'belong' then. _She thought. _Then the one without gray is the one I need to find. That shouldn't be too hard then._

Mental eyes scanned the horizon, searching for the ones that were out of place, tenth-dimensional auras too clear, too luminescent, or too dark, too solid to be of any third-dimensional origin. And as she did, one such aura did indeed stand out-a dark red of demons, with a taste of stone signaling his element. _There you are._ He was close-making his way closer in their direction even as she watched-but still too far off to be able to accurately trace them. Good. _We may still have a chance._

_Have a chance for what, Kid?_

Black eyes snapped open, and Skuld gasped, a wave of fear racing into her body as a voice like crumbling stone entered her mind. Her head swerved to the direction of the demon aura, and Skuld felt the color leave her face as divine eyes caught a red aura that was steadily growing stronger the more she watched.

That son-of-a-_bitch. _He'd noticed her. He'd freaking _noticed_ her!

Letting out one of many curses she'd learned from Keiichi that would horrify her sister if Belldandy ever found out, Skuld's eyes darted to the back of Sentaro's head. "Sentaro, unless you really don't know where we're going, I suggest you stop driving us around in circles and _go._" She advised. "Something tells me an ally a bike can get through isn't going to prevent a demon from catching us."

Sentaro risked a look back at Skuld, confused eyes meeting that held a clarity that terrified him, before looking past _that_ and to something behind her. Skuld watched as a look of terror spread across his face, and this time it was the mortal who cursed rather then that goddess, the lad's head whipping back in front of him even as Skuld's head look back. And as the bike increased it's speed, Skuld swallowed the scream that suddenly wished to tear into her throat.

A wild, hungry smile on his face, Vetala chased behind them, the earth below his feet rising in a wave that propelled him forward, gaining a speed that would have been impossible for the large demon on his own. The concrete and cement beneath him cracking and crumbling into a wave of destruction, the man was a portable earthquake, who's song of destruction trailed behind him like a footprint. The screech of cars and cries of pedestrians filled the air as behind Vetala, the more unfortunate occupants of the city drove into the now-destroyed pavement, whereas ahead of them, those who saw the upcoming chaos quickly scattered like rabbits, desperate to be out of the path of danger.

"How the hell did you get behind us so fast?" Skuld snarled at the man, allowing her anger to overrun the fear in her heart. "You're not supposed to be behind us! Not yet!" He was supposed to still be several miles away! Sure, the aura had been close, she acknowledged. But it hadn't been _that_ close. How had he snuck up behind them so quickly? Especially with all the racket he was making behind him?

Yet the man's only response was a deep throated laugh, one that chilled the young Norn and the boy she was with to the bone.

Skuld grimaced, feeling her heart thrumming within her chest as she turned once more to Sentaro. "Keep going!" She ordered. "Go as fast as you can and don't even think about slowing down. I'll see if I can't buy us some time."

So heavily concentrated on the road in front of him, Sentaro didn't even bother with a nod, his own face set in a grimace as he put all his remaining energy into his legs, desperately trying to gain just a little more speed. Unconcerned with a sign of the boy's listening to her instructions, Skuld instead reached a hand down her blouse, once again withdrawing a gun that could have easily passed for a children's toy at a local convenience store.

One hand resting on Sentaro for balance, one hand on the trigger of the gun, Skuld turned and aimed. Behind the duo, Vetala didn't even twitch at the sight of the gun, continuing his relentless pursuit. The Norn pulled the trigger, and a bright beam of light flew from the weapon, sailing past the pursing demon with inches to spare, and coming into contact with a car that had been victimized in the snaking wreckage of Vetala's magic. The owner having already vacated quickly after crashing into the line of debris, the car exploded on impact, sending further debris sailing through the air and further victimizing the citizens who watched on in excited fear.

Seeing the further damage that she had just created, Skuld looked down at her weapon in surprise, the gun being one of the newer inventions she'd created since Vikoka's introduction, Skuld had never had the opportunity to test out the DEMIgun on an actual target before being called on to use it. An anti-demon gun, she'd designed it to injure rather then simply subdue, but without an actual demon aside from a cat that had been smart enough to stay away from her and her creations, Skuld had never been given an opportunity to see just how dangerous a weapon it was.

Besides, Skuld had made it on a whim more then anything else. She'd never actually been expecting to come across a time where she'd actually need to _use _it.

At least now she knew how dangerous it could be on a planet filled with mortals.

More screams followed, with one voice prevailing over all else to Skuld's ears. "Skuld, what was that?" Sentaro, his voice filled with alarm, reached her ears, and the Norn released a nervous laugh.

"Ah...nothing you should worry about Sentaro!" She cried. "Just...just keep moving us away from all these people, alright?" She said.

Her words did little to put the boy at ease.

"Okay Skuld, lessons learned today: head shots are not as easy in real life as they are in videogames." She murmured to herself. "Torso it is then." Once more, her attention turned to Vetala, who, with each passing moment, grew steadily closer to the children.

Apparently her weapon had had some sort of affect on the demon though. The smile that had haunted his face since returning to his chase had vanished at her missed shot. He now watched with wary gray eyes, his gaze held only on Skuld, sharp and penetrating as he sought to read her next move.

Skuld was more then happy to oblige.

"_IMMA FIRIN' MA LAZORS!"_

For the second time that day, a demon froze in shock because of an insane, moronic comment from a Norn.

And again, Skuld pulled the trigger of the gun, a victorious grin on her face that mirrored the smile that Vetala had worn once upon a time. The beam struck true, and Vetala's eyes bugged from within his skull as the laser struck his chest. The force of the blast propelled him backwards, and the man grunted as his body impacted with a street light, bending the pole on impact.

The girl whooped in joy, watching as the man scrambled to right himself once more before he disappeared from sight as Sentaro rounded a corner. "That ought to keep him back at least a little longer!" She shouted. "So let's keep going!"

_We can do this._ Her heart in her throat and her pulse in her ears, Skuld looked back, her smile only growing wider when there still came no sight of their pursuer. Another turn down a street, and Skuld was almost certain that man would have a difficulty tracking them-she wasn't going to make the same mistake of looking for _him_ twice. _We can actually do this! And without any help from anyone else, either! Between the two of us-just Sentaro and myself-we can beat him! We can escape!_

_But what about Banpei and Sigel? _Another part of her whispered. _What about Urd? _Would it be worth it to return to a shrine that may or may not be empty, knowing that Banpei and Sigel might be gone? Would her running away be justified if Urd got caught?

_Don't you dare think about that Skuld._ As though her thoughts were a summoning, Urd's voice rang throughout her mind. _Sometimes the best thing you can do is run away. No one can be called a coward if he knows he's retreating from a fight he can't win. And I will tell you now-if I can't beat him, if Belldandy can't beat him, then you sure as hell can't beat him either. Nevermind what happens to us-you're no use to anyone if you allow yourself to fall into the same situation as the both of us. Better to run and return with reinforcements like a troop of Valkyries rather then fall to the hands of a demon where no one can come to help._ Those words...she could barely remember Urd telling her that, it had been so long ago.

She'd been so little back then...Belldandy had just received her license and was leaving for her new position, and Urd had been the one who'd taken charge of Skuld's welfare. _We never really knew eachother back then..._The young Norn thought to herself. _She'd been away at her own training by then, living away from Belldandy and I. _Sure, there had been the occasional visit, but up until Belldandy had passed her over to Urd, the silver haired woman had been a virtual stranger.

"_Oy, snap out of it!" Fingers snapped in front of her face, and Skuld blinked, focusing once more on the dark face of the woman towering over her. "Did you hear a word of what I said Skuld?" Urd demanded, planting her hands on her hips. At Skuld's frown, the woman sighed, running a hand through hair too white for a goddess so young. "Try and listen will you? There are going to be times when I won't be there for you, and Belldandy will be unavailable as well, alright? You need to pay attention."_

The sound of an avalanche rose to Skuld's ears, momentarily drowning out the voice of the past. She turned back once more, a shout on her lips ordering Sentaro to keep going, to not let himself be distracted by the source of the noise.

Vetala was back, a snarl on his face where once a smirk had been. One arm flew behind him, only to be propelled forward in front of the demon's body, where several large chunks of granite followed. The pieces sailed through the air, and panicked, Skuld turned away with a scream, eyes squinting shut as she waited for the impact.

It never came.

Rather, instead came the sound of a great groan, and another earthquake sprouted as something tore from the ground. The pipes burst with a pressure that should never have existed, and great bursts of water sailed to meet the stone, smashing the granite into smaller chunks, until only pepples remained, raining through the air and down onto Skuld's-onto Noble Scarlet's-head.

_Trust your instincts, Skuld. You may be a goddess, but even tenth-dimensional beings like us have at least a basic instinct. Use it when you feel you're in danger, and trust your own abilities. If you can do at least that much, you'll be able to escape any sort of danger."_

Cautiously, Skuld peeked dark eyes open, hearing the sigh of a stream following the retreat of Urd's voice, and feeling the light brush of feathers against her cheek. Skuld's eyes grew larger, and she turned to meet the red gaze of her angel, flakes of stone and metal gracing her hair much as they did Skuld's own and Sentaro's.

"Noble Scarlet?" It had been the first time she'd seen her angel since the ice cream parlor, only the hauntly expression had disappeared, replaced with a face of determination. No words were said-none she could hear within her mind, nothing voiced aloud-just a feeling of cool strength, flowing through her like a wave of water.

A roar of an angry demon.

And then Noble Scarlet spun, arms slicing through the air as burst after burst of water collided with the incoming projectiles, once more pulverizing the debris before they could harm either children.

Again, the soft murmur of water at the back of Skuld's mind, only this time it was more clear, and what was once the trickle of water became whispers and sighs, quietly asking her desire, a purpose, a use. And the child grinned as the realization dawned on her, understanding the wants of her own element, her own _angel_, and happily responding to them.

Where once large streams of pipewater burst in chaotic dissaray, suddenly a barrier of water stood, standing in the way of a charging demon and the two children that were his prey. And as he crashed into a liquid barrier he'd thought to be the play of a child, the wings of an angel fluttered from the back of a young goddess, propelling the bike upone which she and the mortal boy that was her companion further foreward, disappearing against a city's horizon once more.

* * *

She leaned against the wall of a building, arms crossed across chest as she observed the magical game of cat and mouse both children and demon played. No one paid her any mind, too many people worried about their own saftey to bother with a strange woman who seemed to have a death wish, standing at ground zero of the makeshift battlefield of a monster.

Likewise, she too ignored them.

She watched as he angrily smashed fist after fist agaisnt the wall the little Norn had created, a small smirk quirking upwards on the side of her face. The reports she'd read had said nothing of the Little One displaying such control over her magic. Was this a more recent event? It would have to be something she brought up to the others later.

"I wonder what else the lass can do?" She wondered aloud, moving from her wall and approaching the demon, heels clicking on the cracked and broken pavement with a material not found in the land of the Assiah, the sound loud enough to draw even the large behemoth's attention from where his back faced her.

A fist paused as Vetala took note of the noise, and slowly, the man turned, suspicion in his gaze as to the fool who would approach him, only to dissolve into shock. "_You!" _He roared, turning to face her fully and backing into the wall of water at his back. "But...Pisaca is supposed to be after you!" He shouted. "And your hair! When did-what did-but then how did you" He sputtered out, staring at something that should not have been as Urd approached, long hair cascading down her back like silver water.

Urd frowned, a hand moving to run through long strands of silver. "My hair?" She asked, looking at Vetala with contemplative violet eyes. "What about my hair?"

"You...you cut it off! How did you grow it back so quickly?" He demanded, a feeling of unease rising in his gut as the Norn frowned.

"Did I now?" She purred, approaching him and looking up into his gray eyes.

The eyes of a predator.

And before he could react, something bit into his stomach, burning through his flesh and to the tenderness within. He gasped, looking down at the source of his pain, and finding no knife, no magic, but Urd's arm-her _arm-_embedded in his stomach. The goddess twisted the appendage, and Vetala fell to his knees in pain, a wail escaping his throat as fresh fire surged throughout his being. Two large hands grabbed Urd's arm-ones that covered the entire limb in their sheer size, ones renown for destroying boulders and snapping living bodies in half, yet finding his grip as weak as a kittens against the goddess of the past.

Urd, a soft smile on her face, leaned in closer, bringing her face down to meet the fallen demon's. "Why don't you tell me more about what I did?" She asked, her voice a whisper to his wails. "I promise to make it worth your while."

Only a whimper was his response, one that rose to a scream as her arm twisted once more and his vision grayed. "You...you can't be Urd." He cried, tugging helplessly against the arm in his body. "Urd...even-even if she is the Daimakaicho's daughter...s-she'd never...do something this c-cruel..."

Violet eyes narrowed.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that if I where you, Vetala."

Another twist of pain, and Vetala's gray faded to black as his conciousness left him, sacrificing his body to a fate unknown as ahead of him, two children flew on towards freedom.

* * *

A/N: Some days, little bits of your sanity leave you, often times returning with ideas so insane, it'd be a crime to _not _include them in the fic. It's times likes these that I start to question that rational of writing my fics on weeks I'm due to give briefs.

Sorry for offending anyone with tuna farts. But I laughed myself silly when the idea popped into my head. Those of you with cats of your own may understand where I'm coming from.

Besides, I thought some comic relief might be appropriate with how serious the fic was getting.

Shoop da whoop.

Also, a funfact:I literally had to stop writing this story when I started watching Invader Zim. If I keep staring at Jhonen Vasquez's creations while writing chapters for my current stories, I'm going to eventually create a fic that is beyond horrifying. I need to stop _now._


	16. Captives

It was above the Tarikihogen's temple that the group of four reformed.

Three screams echoed across the forest the shrine was nestled in, and then Keiichi's body struck the roof of his home, the young man's body absorbing the impact of not just his own fall, but Belldandy's weight as well. The man let loose a wheezing sort of gasp, and then the two of them were rolling towards the edge of the roof.

Two more bodies impacted behind him, both remaining unaware to Keiichi's current senses as, uncontrolled and unstopped by any sort of roof tiling, Keiichi and Belldandy sped to the end of the roof. His world a whirling blur of brown hair, blue sky, and dark tile, Keiichi could only grunt in pain until a sudden weightlessness elated beneath him, in which case the spinning stopped, and the sky stared down at him before he impacted with something solid once more.

This time, his world erupted into stars before his vision grayed into black, a pain and a snap his last recollection before Belldandy, lying within an uneasy sleep on top his body, and the shrine that was his home, disappeared into unconsciousness.

Following him came two more bodies, as Megumi and Sayoko followed his path down the roof. Two screams pierced the air as Sayoko, dazed, confused, and terrified, found herself capable of little 'sides wrapping her arms around her body and protecting herself best as possible from anything that might cause her undue harm. And then, just as Keiichi and Belldandy prior, a sense of weightlessness engulfed her body as the young woman fell from roof and to the ground, her scream growing louder as panic engulfed her.

And then, just as quickly as it started, the feeling stopped, and a large pain instead wracked her right arm as something wrapped around it, halting her descent.

With a grimace, the woman looked up, meeting the dark eyes of the younger Morisato sibling, spread eagle across the roof. Her left hand wrapped around Sayoko's right arm, she wore a grimace on her face that became a smile when Sayoko looked to her, and with a grunt, the demon-possessed girl slowly began to pull the older woman back on top of the roof.

Panting and gasping by the time she finally found safety on the roofing's edge, Sayoko looked to her younger companion with a look of wonder in her eyes. Unsure of how they were still alive, or even how it was they had ended up on top the shrine, Sayoko felt a small bubble of hysteria rise within her. A giggle escaped her throat, and likewise, relieved to have escaped an unknown danger and finding herself in a familiar setting, Megumi-Mara found herself joining in on the laughter. Their laughter grew into a roar that filled the air of the surrounding shrine, until finally the adrenaline that had filled Sayoko began to fade, and her laughter died down.

"That...was...insane." The prior campus queen said between laughs. "I-I don't know...what happened...but..." She paused, wiping away a tear that had formed at one eye before looking over at her new companion. "Let's promise to never do that again, agreed?"

Her own laughter dieing down into snickers, Megumi nodded. "Agreed."

"So then, who are you?"

Mara almost fell over at the comment, and Sayoko sent her opponent a sly grin, regaining some of the regal composure that had earned her such a fierce reputation in school. "Because I know you sure as hell aren't Morisato's younger sister. Something about you is familiar as hell, and you look enough like that girl that even Morisato is convinced, but I _know_ you can't be her." She pointed to Mara's forehead, Sayoko's eyes revealing what many others would have been blinded to. "For one thing, I'm quite certain I've seen those red tattoos of yours somewhere before. For another, I don't think that girl is anywhere near as aggressive as you showed yourself to be."

A hand moved to cover the demon's markings, and Mara stared at Sayoko with shock. "You can see these in this body?" She demanded, gaining a shake of agreement that caused her stomach to turn uncomfortably. The woman looked away with a violent curse that left Sayoko staring, then turned back with a small frown. "How about we get off this roof before any sort of explanations are made?" The black haired girl looked past the older woman and to the ground below. "We should probably check to make sure Keiichi is still alive. I'm pretty sure Belldandy would kill me if she found out that out of everyone, her damn boyfriend is the one who didn't make it."

Sayoko snorted at the comment, but none the less allowed herself a small smile. "Fine." She stated. "But once we do, I think all three of you have a good deal of explaining to do."

The smile on her face died down, and instead a frown appeared on Sayoko's face. The frown blossomed into horror as, at the very top of the roof, a dark silhouette, bathed in shadow against the sun overhead, touched down, the wings that had protruded from the being's form vanishing from sight. She screamed as without warning, it hefted a weapon-was that an _axe_?-over it's head, it's gaze held against the back of Megumi's head.

The possessed girl's eye's widened, and the demon whirled around, mouth parting in a shout of her own as the Valkyrie brought her weapon down with all her might. Megumi dodged, and the axe collided with the tiles of the roof, shattering on impact and leaving nothing but a new sun roof in it's wake. However, as more of the roof began to deteriorate inwards from the smash, Sayoko found no one there to save her as she fell inwards with it.

The woman smashed into the table in the tea room, stars dancing into her eyes as she peered up to the sun, watching as Megumi flew off.

Flew?

That sight in combination with the one who'd attacked them both, now descending upon her like a great angel of death, was the final straw for her tired mind, and Sayoko's eyes rolled back into her head as she feinted, a brief part of her wondering if perhaps she was dreaming, and that the ex-queen was now moving towards wakefulness, where there were no collage witches or demon students or angels of death.

Mara was not so lucky.

"Why the hell are there Valkyries here?" She demanded, not even bothering to look back to the roof she'd leaped from and the fate that may have befallen Sayoko. Against a demon was one thing-the Daimakaicho had given her the go-ahead to fight off anyone that Mara thought to be a new occupant of Nekomi. But a Valkyrie? Hild had said nothing of the divine warriors, and in Mara's experience, the creatures were much like wolves-always traveling in a pack, with only an occasional lone wolf, such as the golden-eye Lind, to make things difficult.

The Valkyrie that had attacked her had not been Lind.

_I need to get back to the base._ The possessed woman thought, a grimace on her face as she traveled higher. _I have to warn the others-_ Her thoughts were abruptly cut off as she collided head first with a magical barrier, her impact sending a wave of electric blue through her surrounding area before knocking her from the sky.

Stunned with an alien magic used expressly by Valkyrie units, Mara plummeted to the ground below, impacting hard enough to make Megumi's body bounce, before the demon came to a rest with a moan.

The wind knocked out of her and feeling as though she'd been punched in the stomach, Mara let out a dry cough as a hand moved to cover her face, which had become little more then a grimace of pain. A shadow moved to block out the blinding sun above her head, and dimly Mara became aware of something sharp and cold coming to a rest underneath her chin. Dark eyes with an underlying red moved to the pole attached to the halberd at her throat, and the demon followed it upwards, where they came to rest upon the face of one who'd grown more and more familiar the longer Mara had stayed planet-side.

Eyes like ice stared down into opposing hellfire. "Don't move." Lind's voice was cold and commanding, and Mara felt the pointed end dig a little farther into her throat.

Feeling her strength refusing to return-a side effect to a spell?-Mara grimaced, and instead narrowed her eyes at the warrior above her, a surge of rage marring her face into an ugly snarl. "Bite me, Berserker Wolf." She hissed, watching a a slip of surprise slide behind a face of ice, before blue narrowed at red. The tip removed itself from Mara's throat, and before she could even think of acting, something else plunged into her exposed stomach.

A lively pain of a different, greater potency then any of her prior injuries, Lind's halberd coming down upon her was the last thing she saw before she too, released herself to unconsciousness.

* * *

One of her Sisters approached her as the demon fell unconscious. "It is unusual for you to let the words of such a pitiful creature to anger you, Lind." Said the voice as Lind lifted her weapon from Marller's body. Lind turned to regard the owner of the voice, pale blue eyes meeting ones a unique shade of pink in the form of Eir. "But I suppose it can't be helped, with an insult so extreme." She quickly added, noting the narrowing of cold eyes in her direction. The Valkyrie coughed nervously. "Ah...anyways, Lady Catha wants us to round everyone who arrived at the shrine with the demon. Herja's already detained the mortal female who'd been with the demon, and Lady Catha has located the Norn Belldandy and the mortal male she resides with. There are no signs thus far of the other two Norns though."

_Keiichi..._

"Is it possible that the demon was dwelling within the shrine hidden from the Norns? There is another demon-a reincarnated cat-that resides within this area as well. It is possible the demon could have been in hiding, disguising it's signature with the cat's." Lind's eyes drifted to the fallen woman, taking note of the familiar markings of the demon who'd been at the Daimakaicho's side during the Angel Eater's escape. _Mara_...her mind whispered, giving name to a face hidden behind a mask of innocence.

It had been surprising to find the demon on record within Heaven. Suspicious to find the records stating a long history between the demon and the Norn of the Past, Urd. Potentially hazardous to find evidence of Slayer-Craft within a shrine that had become the associated goddess's residence.

Eir shook her head, rousing Lind from her thoughts. "Negative." She said. "As of yet, it's still uncertain whether any of the Norns are actively practicing such a craft or not. The room the female fell into had more evidence of the Craft spilled upon the floor, however it held a different signature from the magic we'd initially discovered. As of yet, it can only be assessed that the two are interrelated." In a lower voice, the Valkyrie whispered, "are you sure you're okay with this Lind? The Girls and I...we know how much you changed after coming down here and everything. No one forced you to come down here with us-in fact, Lady Catha highly advised you didn't-we still can't believe you went against her advice like that. Do you really think it's a good idea to be down here knowing you may have to prosecute your friends?"

The young woman stifled the frown that tugged at the corner of one lip, instead retaining a steadfast mask of stone, one she directed to her companion, who flinched under Lind's gaze. "I fail to see how my being here will change anything." The blue-haired Valkyrie said. "Yes, you're correct, I do view the people within this shrine as friends. However, my duties as a Valkyrie come first and foremost-I refuse to let any sort of emotion towards the Norns skew my judgment over the situation at hand."

That said, Lind turned back to the fallen Megumi, bending down and scooping the girl up in her arms in one fell swoop. She missed Eir's wince.

_That's right, I'd forgotten how strongly Lind felt about Hell's Angel Slayers..._The pink-eyed woman thought, hiding her own discomfort behind a mask of calm as Lind returned to face her once more before the Golden-Eye Valkyrie walked past her. _But still...to hold her friends in such disregard when they're under such a suspicion...that's cold, even for Lind._

_I'm really starting to think Badb Catha was right. Lind shouldn't have descended with us-not when there is so much emotion on either side of the equation affecting her judgment._ With such thoughts swarming through her mind, the pink haired Valkyrie chased after her comrade and disappeared within the house, leaving nothing but the heavy stare of a great black crow in their wake.

* * *

The first think Keiichi grew aware of was the odd feeling of numbness in his right arm. The next was the soft voice in his ear, demanding, pleading, that he wake up. The young man grimaced, one eye cracking open only to snap shut once more as something bright and blinding assaulted his eyes.

"Come on Morisato, wake up." A voice, feminine and authoritative, rang in his ears. "I don't care if you're half-dead or if only you're arm is broken-you aren't getting any more rest until I find out what the hell is going on here."

Another voice followed behind the first, again a highly familiar feminine voice he couldn't quite recall. "Sayoko's right, Kei-chan. And I want to know why we're being locked up in you're room by a bunch of freaky militia women."

The mechanic grunted, and then rolled onto his left side, hoping to escaping the harassing voices. It seemed to work, as their was a brief pause as the voices fell quiet.

Their next words woke him with a start, however.

"They took Belldandy."

_Belldandy?_

With a start, everything that had happened in the past twelve hours returned to Keiichi's memory, and the thought of sleep deserted him.

Cold fear replaced it.

"Belldandy?" The words came out in a shout, and with a start, Keiichi's eyes snapped open, scrambling to his feet only to fall to his knees as the numbness in his arm disappeared in favor of a sharp pain. It left the man gasping and panting, and he spat out a curse, bringing the pained limb to his chest and nursing it gently with his opposing hand. His face wearing a grimace of pain, the man looked to the two owners of the voices, meeting matching frowns on both Sayoko's and Megumi's faces.

Megumi's face darkened into a scowl as she met her brother's gaze, and from where she stood over him, the younger Morisato kneeled. "Keiichi, you need to be more careful!" She scolded. "The Ice Queen who was looking you over said you'd fractured your arm in a fall."

Behind Megumi, Sayoko watched the two siblings, and as Megumi trailed off, the young woman planted her hands on her hips, taking over the story. "She and the other women with her must all be witches or something, because she did some weird hand-wave over your arm and then ordered us not to move it too much or it wouldn't heal properly." The artist shrugged her shoulders. "Personally, I don't know if she was actually able to do anything or not-she's no Belldandy when it comes to magic tricks-but it seemed like a safer bet to do what she says rather then ignore her advice. The last thing we need it for your arm to turn out wrong because she didn't actually do anything to help it."

Continuing to cradle his arm, Keiichi grit his teeth. "Where's Belldandy?" He asked. "Who took her? And how did we end up here?" He directed his gaze to Megumi, the one he still believed possessed by the only person present who might have some sort of inclination as to the current situation, and who met his eyes with a scowl.

"What makes you think I know what's going on?" She demanded. "All I know is that the last thing I remember was running to softball practice, and the next thing I know I'm here." Brown eyes that were a reflection of his own narrowed. "And from what Sayoko has been saying, _you _seem to have a good grasp on whatever the hell is going on here." The eyes narrowed into slits as Keiichi paled under her gaze, under the realization that Mara was no longer present, and then Sayoko's stare burrowed into him as well. "So, Big Bro, I think the wrong person is asking the right questions."

"Or perhaps the right person to ask is not currently in the room with you." The door to the room the three were contained in slid open, and a black-haired woman adorned in a Valkyrie's uniform stormed in, the owner of the voice, Megumi's personally-dubbed 'Ice Queen' and the only Valkyrie Keiichi had ever gained a chance to know, Lind, trailed in behind her.

Surprised at the unexpected arrival, Keiichi let out a startled yelp, yet none the less, his face lit up at the sight of a familiar face. "Lind!" He cried, startling his two female companions as he called out one of their female captors by name. "What are you doing here?"

The woman in question spared the man a small, tight grin that vanished before he had the opportunity to register it as a smile. The woman who'd walked in before her spared her companion a quick glance with eyes a shade of red frighteningly familiar to Mara's, before the lighter haired woman spoke again. "Business, unfortunately. A good majority of which involves you and your friends." She said. "You, Belldandy, and the two females behind you were all teleported to this shrine by a demon, one who'd possessed the body of one of your two companions."

The pale haired woman fell quiet as Megumi let out a loud exclamation. "What?" She cried, her mouth falling open and a twisting feeling of unease rising in her stomach as she looked to her companions. Keiichi had a strangely neutral expression on his face, and at her side, Sayoko was rubbing her chin in thought.

"So that's what it was..." The woman murmured, a thoughtful expression on her face as she beginning nodding her head in agreement. "That would make sense then...those markings...I wonder if it was _that _person..." The woman trailed off as she felt the gazes of the two uniformed woman on her, and she returned their expressions with a scowl of her own, raising an eyebrow in expectation. "Well?" She asked. "You two seem to have the answers to all our questions. Are you going to divulge them to us or what?" She demanded.

She earned an amused snort from the black-haired woman, who sent a smile that held an emotion Sayoko wasn't sure she wanted to recognize to the woman Keiichi had identified as Lind. The oddly-haired woman frowned at the smile, uncomfortably shifting her weight from foot to foot. She turned back to the three captives, her gaze catching Sayoko's in particularly.

"You are Mishima Sayoko, correct?"

Alarmed at the woman calling her by name, Sayoko slowly nodded. _They took Belldandy from us._ She thought. _That's probably how they know my name. She probably told them who we all are._ Somehow the thought didn't reassure her very much.

"Then the demon known as Mara should be familiar to you, correct?" The Valkyrie risked a glance to her companion, who nodded once more before continuing. "The one you became involved with on a magical basis on two separate occasions? The most recent involving a contract between you and the demon in question?"

She then turned to Megumi, whose expression had grown into alarm upon the revelation that the ex-queen had been associated with a demon. "And you are Morisato Megumi, correct?" Lind demanded. "The one who has been possessed by that very same demon on what has now become two occasions?"

"Lind, what are you doing?" Keiichi demanded, interrupting the Valkyrie before she could continue, leaving in her wake two young woman in various states of shock. "Why are you telling them this? What the _hell _is going on here?"

Blue eyes met and held his, and something it Lind's gaze paralyzed him. Something...some alien emotion left Keiichi feeling as though he'd crossed some invisible line, and for the first time, Keiichi felt fear towards a goddess.

"Morisato Keiichi." The voice was low and cold, and the young man stiffened reflexively. "The mortal who intervened on both occasions for the two woman at his side in the present situation. There have been reports of Goetia-craft and a sudden increase in the negative energy associated with demons from within this plane. We need to discover why, Keiichi, because Goetia-craft is an incredibly dangerous Craft to practice, even amongst the demons entitled 'Goetia'."

Lind's voice softened, loosing it's hard edge as she gazed at Keiichi. "And so I ask you, as the one mortal whom I call 'friend', please answer me this honestly."

"Are the Norns using Demon-craft?"

* * *

"I'm really sorry about this Belldandy. Believe you me, none of us really wanted to do this."

The woman looked up from the tea she was pouring, sending her companion a reassuring smile. "Eir, I've already told you there is no reason for you to apologize." She returned to her previous task, carefully pouring the remaining tea into two more tea cups before moving to offer one of the steaming glasses to the Valkyrie. "You are only doing the task Lady Catha assigned to you. I fail to see how I'd hold your duty against you."

The younger girl bowed her head. "Thanks." She said, feeling her face heat up in embarrassment. "But...I still feel guilty about this whole thing. Everyone talks so highly of you in Heaven, and there isn't one soul who doesn't know who the Norns are. To be down here investigating you and your siblings of such crimes..." The Valkyrie trailed off, staring down into her teacup.

The two stood in the kitchen, where the young Eir acted as a mandatory escort to the older Norn, tasked to guard a somewhat groggy Belldandy who'd awakened from a drugged sleep with the help of Herja, a Valkyrie who had some small skill with medicinal herbs. It had been their leader's, one Badb Catha, who'd assigned the task, leaving Herja to guard the still-unconscious demon after forcibly extracting her from the human she'd possessed, before taking Lind with her to questions the mortals who'd arrived in the shrine with Belldandy and the demon.

A hand came to rest on the Valkyrie's shoulder, and Eir looked up into calming blue eyes. "Eir." Belldandy said. "You must not let such thoughts cloud your judgment in such matters. For some times, it is the one who is most popular in the minds of the public that can be the closest, most dangerous enemy to the nation." The words were surprisingly somber coming from the Norn of the Present, and Belldandy's eyes became distant as she grew lost in some long-forgotten memory.

Silently, Eir wondered to herself what, _who_ could be the cause of such a mournful look that briefly flashed across the great goddess's face, while aloud she asked, "so are you telling me not to trust you then?"

Belldandy blinked at the question, Eir's voice rousing her from her thoughts and returning the brown-haired goddess to the present. She stared down at the woman, still little more then a child entering the first stages of adulthood, and frowned. _You are still new to the tasks that have been given to you, aren't you?_ She mused. "...if that's the way you wish to see it..." The goddess said slowly. "However, I was more trying to tell you that it is more advantageous to approach such delicate situations such as the one we now find ourselves in with a note of caution rather then the word of so many in heaven."

"Oh." The girl looked down, brows scrunching together in thought before pink eyes lifted to meet blue once more. "Then...do you mind if I asked you something?" She asked shyly.

_Well, you already asked once, but I suppose it won't hurt to allow you to ask another question._ Holy Bell's voice whispered in Belldandy's ear, and the Norn had to bite her tongue to prevent the thought to grow into words. _Holy Bell, that was mean..._The woman mentally scolded, gaining nothing but a laughter as light as the wind in response.

Focusing on the young woman before her, Belldandy nodded. "I don't see why not." She said. "What is it you'd like to ask?"

"You...you're not really..." The youth paused, bit her lip, and then restarted. "Belldandy, are you and your sisters really practicing demon-craft?" Eir blurted out, before both hands moved to clamp over her mouth as her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "W..wait...t-that's not...what I meant to say was..."

However Belldandy waved the girl down, hiding her own discomfort at the question behind a face of calm. "N-no...no, it's alright Eir." The woman said, shaking her head with a soft smile on her face. "Your question...just caught me off guard, that's all."

The goddess took a deep, relaxing breath, thinking of how best to answer the question proposed.

"Yes."

Eir's mouth fell open at the confession, and the Valkyrie stared at the Norn in disbelief. _Be careful, Little One. Your jaw might fall out if you drop it any further._ Holy Bell's voice once more teased within Belldandy's mind, and this time, Belldandy didn't bother to hide the small smile that teased at the corner of her mouth.

The goddess nodded, ignoring the shocked expression on the poor girl's face. "Yes, we-_I _do practice demon-craft." She said, a hand moving to one ear and removing one of the various golden links that dangled from her seal. The possession now in hand, Belldandy moved it in front of goddess and Valkyrie, inviting the pink-haired child to investigate it for herself.

Taking the invitation, Eir brought a hand down to grab the small link, only to have it explode into dust as gloved fingers came to graze the metal. The Valkyrie yelped and pulled back, and as the smoke form the small explosion cleared, in it's place a small spirit stood, grasping Belldandy's hand as it sought to balance itself on one leg.

The creature was small, barely the size of Belldandy's thumb, it's face was more bird-like then the rest of it's dark, more humanoid body, where it stood on one stork-like leg with the other tucked securely under it's body. It looked from Eir to Belldandy, and then released a single small chirp that rang in Eir's ears like a wind chime, and then it exploded again, leaving nothing but the metal link from before resting in Belldandy's hand once more.

"This is a wind spirit that originally resided within Niflheim." Belldandy said, watching as Eir drew back sharply as the older woman named the small creature's origins. "The demons use them to control the air currents within Niflheim. Usually, they are used to gather and condense the mist that is forever present within the realm, creating rainclouds that give the demon-kin water." An almost sad smile crept across Belldandy's features. "From what I've been told, Niflheim has few natural resources-what little they do have is even then scare at times, and water is often times one of their more precious commodities."

The goddess moved to clip the stud back to her earring before continuing. "It's one of the reasons why they decided to employ such small spirits. It's a demon-craft-one used for their very survival."

Belldandy pointed to the re-placed bar, now indistinguishable from it's other golden kin at her ear. "The little spirit I have was given to me by a demon whom I'd come to know in my childhood." She said, the smile growing fond at the old memory. "When I was just learning the ways of magic, I'd been having a rather difficult time grasping the concept of it, and so a goddess slightly older then myself and the demon whom I knew decided a small guide might be able to show me the true magic of the wind." A hand moved to rub one of the small bars, what had to have been the little wind spirit, affectionately. "It helped guide me to where I am today, and now I keep it on me as a friend and a companion as much as an old tool and a guide for my element."

The younger Valkyrie stared at the goddess she was to guard in surprise, both at the small bit of personal history revealed so willingly to a stranger and the brief history lesson from within Niflheim. "I never knew Niflheim was such a harsh place to live in, that one would require the moisture in the air to gain something as simple as water." The pink-haired woman said. "And I don't understand how a goddess such as yourself came to be an associate of one of our enemies." The warrior frowned in thought, light brows furrowing together as she went over the file she'd read before descending with her squad. There had been no reports on Belldandy ever having been an associate of any demon in her childhood.

Across from her, Belldandy took a sip of her tea, light eyes blinking in surprise upon the realization that the liquid had grown cold. She shook her head before continuing. "Let me ask you this then Eir. Have you ever thought on why it is the divine and the damned fight so hard for the wishes we make? For the souls of the various realms that we monitor?"

Her companion scowled, snorting in disdain at the comment. "That's simple." Eir said, a part of her wondering what Belldandy was trying to say with such a question. "It's because demons are selfish creatures-they want anything and everything to themselves, and will do whatever it takes to obtain that goal, even if it ends up destroying the very thing they are trying to obtain. That's why they want so many human souls, and why we fight them off."

The look Belldandy sent her was one of disapproval, and Eir frowned once more. _Is this what the defenders of Heaven are taught now?_ Belldandy wondered, before shaking her head in disagreement. "No." She said. "That's not it."

"Then what is it?"

"Magnetite." At Eir's blank stare, Belldandy spread her arms wide. "Magnetite is the element all tenth dimensional beings, be they damned or divine, rely on. It is what gives us form, our strength, our magic. Mortals, and the other creatures that reside within the third-dimension, are usually high with the element, and a good portion of that substance is what allows us to make wishes or contracts with them. The more magnetite a mortal has, the more appealing a candidate he or she is, and the stronger both sides will fight for his or her soul. For it is with magnetite that we, as a society, can flourish." Belldandy set her cup down on the table, and her gaze to Eir was serious. "It is why heaven is in the state it is today, filled with life and more then our share of resources, because we can more easily obtain the magnetite of a human mortal then our damned cousins. It is the reason why Niflheim is in the state it is today, and why there are often battles between both societies."

"Because of the reputation given to them throughout this plane we are on right now, it is oftentimes more challenging for a demon to gain magnetite then a deity. The Daimakaicho knows this, as do those who are under her reign, and even while she takes steps to better form contracts with mortals, there are others under her who sneak to the border of Heaven and Niflheim, preying on careless divinities in the hopes that they might be able to steal enough of Heaven's resources to bring back to Niflheim."

By now Belldandy's eyes had grown distant once more, and a soft frown, nearly invisible on her gentle face, pulled at the corner of one mouth. "The entire reason we two factions fight is not because of selfish motives or a desire for destruction or obtaining the soul of a mortal strong enough to speak with the Powers That Be-it's a simple desire to survive."

Eir crossed her hands over her chest, the frown she herself wore deepening further. "And where did you hear that from?"

Belldandy blinked, and blue eyes as light as the insignia that adorned her face came to focus on Eir with an unrecognizable emotion. "A demon." She said, before grabbing the ignored cups of tea and whirling around in a whirl of brown hair and light dress, and moving to dispose of the contents at the sink.

Eir watched her silently, having lost any more desire to continue the odd, almost unnerving conversation she and the Norn of the Present were holding. She bit her lip in thought, watching Belldandy move throughout the kitchen as the Valkyrie digested the exchange of words.

And then the Norn turned to her once more, the alien emotion gone and the smile Eir had come to associate with the goddess on her face once more. "Speaking of demon..." She said. "Why don't we go check on your friend guarding Mara? I'm sure she could use some company, especially if Mara is still asleep."

* * *

It was one of the empty rooms within the shrine where the two goddesses found the captive demon and captor. A room large enough to have been a bedroom, it had become little more then an overly-large storage closet, filled with miscellaneous items that the Norns and Keiichi had gathered throughout their time together, with items ranging from books and old study guides to tools that had become unusable with age and abuse to even some of Skuld's older inventions that had grown so hazardous that they became too dangerous to scavenge components from.

Yet now, as Belldandy and Eir approached and the air grew heavy with a tension of two opposing forces, they stepped into a room that had been emptied of such items, instead finding the two woman they had originally been searching for.

The woman guarding Mara, a tall, thin woman with braided navy blue hair, sat outside the room in the corridor, weapon resting in her lap and arms crossed over her chest as she stared into the room with a frown. As the duo grew closer, Belldandy peered inside the room, a small part of her wondering what the Valkyries had done with all their possession while a large part of her focused on the demon that dwelled within, finding Mara resting her back up against the wall, sitting cross-legged in a position that mirrored the Valkyrie that was her guard. A look of high concentration adorned both parties features and as Belldandy and Eir grew near, it was Mara who broke eye-contact.

Red eyes met light blue, and relief slid across Mara's face. "Belldandy..." She murmured. "GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE!"

The cry took Eir by surprise, and the pink-haired Valkyrie yelped, doubling back and into the woman at her side. Belldandy ignored the girls action though, her hands moving to grasp Eir's shoulders and steady the girl automatically as the Norn blinked, surprised herself by the blonde's outburst. "Mara?"

The blonde pointed to the braided woman across from her, who had yet to react to the other womens presence. "That woman is insane Belldandy!" She cried. "Don't leave me here alone with her! I swear on the Daimakaicho's left foot, that woman is going to kill me!"

"The Daimakaicho's left foot?" Belldandy repeated, looking from Mara to Herja and back again in confusion. "Mara, I'm afraid I don't understand, Herja doesn't appear to be doing anything to you. What are you talking about?" She looked back down to Herja, who still sat still as a statue, her gaze never leaving the demon before her.

No, wait, not entirely still...

Herja's lips were moving...

Brows furrowed together in concentration, and Belldandy moved to kneel next to the woman, bringing her ear close enough to hear what it was the Valkyrie was saying.

"Great green globs of greasy grimy demon meat, mutilated demon feet, chopped up bitty demon feet. Great green globs of greasy grimy demon meat, and I forgot my spoon. Dum. Dum. _Dum_."

The verse repeated itself, and slowly Belldandy pulled away from the woman, blinking is something akin to disbelief at the strange song the Valkyrie was singing. "That is a very...interesting song you're singing, Herja." Still, the braided Valkyrie refused to acknowledge her presence, and Belldandy rose to her feet, turning to look away from one Valkyrie and to the other.

"Eir?" She asked. "Is there any way we can stop your friend from singing that song? It seems to be making Mara rather uncomfortable."

The pink-haired girl blinked in confusion. "Song?" She asked, looking from Belldandy to Herja and back again. "Herja's singing?" At Belldandy's nod, Eir frowned and stepped past the woman, a mumbled 'not again' that Belldandy was almost certain she wasn't supposed to hear passing the Valkyrie's lips as she stooped to her comrade's side.

Norn and demon watched in silence as one Valkyrie leaned close to the other's ear. "Herja..." Eir said, her voice low yet still audible to those present. "The voices in my head are taking again."

The singing, audible only to the lone demon in the room, immediately stopped, yet Mara didn't notice, her attention, like Belldandy's, fully focused on the conversation between the two warriors, one that seemed to only grow stranger and stranger by the minute.

Herja blinked, and blue eyes several shades darker then Belldandy's moved to meet her companion. "What are they talking about this time?" She asked, her stature serious as she regarded the younger woman. "Are they telling you to explode heads again or saw off random cheerleaders legs?"

Mara's jaw dropped in shock.

Belldandy just stared.

Perhaps sensing the gaze of an unwanted audience, Eir's cheeks grew pink with a blush, and the woman bowed her head in embarrassment. "Ah...n-no." She stuttered out.

"Are they telling you to take an axe to the heads of those hideously cute flying bunnies that infest Heaven during the spring? Maybe the idea of throwing demons in a room with a walnut-chewing moose for all eternity?"

This time Eir couldn't even bother with a verbal reply, and as her blush rose to redden her ears to a shade of pink near matching her hair, the woman shook her head. "...lyin...mower..." She muttered.

"What?"

The word came from three voices combined into one, Belldandy's of curiosity, Mara's of confusion, and Herja's of shock.

Eir bit her lip. "Flying Lawnmower. Th-they're telling me to...go blow things up with a flying lawnmower." She was staring down at her feet by now, and the woman's face had grown as red as a beet at the confession.

Locked up in her make-shift cell, Mara groaned, blonde head falling into hands propped up on knees, before looking up and sending Belldandy a desperate look once more. "Belldandy, please get me out of here. These women are insane. I'm honestly starting to fear for my life-or at the very least, my sanity."

The Norn of the Present looked from demon to Valkyries several times, a soft frown of consideration on her face as she tried to reason some great thought out.

"They seem perfectly sane to me."

The demon stared. "Belldandy...sane people don't hear voices telling them to blow crap up with flying lawnmowers. Sane people don't sings songs about cannibalizing demons." The woman said the words slowly, as though she were speaking to a foreigner with little grasp of the native language. "And since I have no intention of getting blown up by some great John Deere in the sky or get eaten like so many stupid people in bad zombie movies, I kindly ask, as much as a demon is capable of, to get me the _hell _out of here."

_What, no please?_ The voice of insanity Belldandy was beginning to associate more and more with Holy Bell chirped up, and the woman frowned, desperately wishing to silence her other, less controllable side, one whom had changed somewhat, the Norn had discovered, after playing host to a devil as much as her own angel. _I wonder just what it is you two were doing when my mind was preoccupied._ She wondered, before returning her attention to the two Valkyries, who had all but forgotten the two they'd been assigned to watch by their leader.

Such heavy focus...to tune out the rest of the world and forget about their current duties, despite the consequences, in favor for voices that might or might not be the angel, _angels_ even, within one's mind.

It was almost like watching Urd and Skuld fight. How cute.

"Excuse me." Belldandy said, hoping to gently guide the duo's attention back to the two whom they should have originally been focused upon, and discovering that, much like before, the Norn was going ignored.

Really, how rude, to ignore the same person on two separate occasions in less then an hour. A small frown slid across Belldandy's face, and the brunette frowned, looking to Mara, where the demon returned it with that same expression. _Get me out of here._ The Norn sighed, then looked back to the duo at her feet. "_Excuse me!"_ She shouted, amplifying her voice in a manner that had grown all to familiar with the regular destructive fights between her two other siblings in the past.

The voice rang throughout the shrine, and though she never noticed it, a small smirk twitched upwards at the corner of her mouth at the resulting cries and yelps of the shrines occupants, including the two in front of her and the demon held prisoner.

Mara did notice.

She shivered.

"I'm sorry to interrupt your conversation." Belldandy continued as the two Valkyries, hands over ears that still rang with a heavenly voice stared up at her. "But I was wondering if there was any way you might allow Mara out." The smirk on her face grew into a smile. "You'll have my word as a goddess first class she won't attempt anything against your wishes."

"Is that a fact, Belldandy?"

The new voice came from behind the Norn, and as the brunette turned to face Lind, Eir and Herja rose to their feet smartly, the weapon that had been resting forgotten on Herja's lap clanging to the floor-the only sound in a corridor that had suddenly gone eerily silent.

Lind approached, walking side by side with the black haired woman Belldandy had seen trailing Lind since the Norn had awoken, trailing the light haired woman like some great shadow. And behind the two of them...

"Keiichi! You're all right!"

The man in question gave a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his head sheepishly, only to have Megumi smack his shoulder from where she stood behind him, sending her older brother an annoyed glare as he winced reflexively.

Relieved to see the man whom she cared so much for safe, Belldandy moved towards him, and for a second, it seemed as though the two Valkyries standing between them both would refuse to allow the Norn to pass to the man, but at the last minute, the duo shifted to the side of the wall, allowing the goddess to move between them and embrace Keiichi.

The man returned the goddess's hug with an equal enthusiasm, and they held each other for several seconds before easing the embrace. The Norn staring tenderly at Keiichi, she beamed before meeting the watching gaze of the two women behind him. "And Megumi and Sayoko too?" She asked, the smile on her face dimming momentarily with dark memories of demons and fear clouding Belldandy's mind for a brief second. "Did...you come here with Keiichi?"

Varying mixtures of concern and suspicion danced across the two girls faces, and, his arms still wrapped around her (why hadn't he let go of her yet?), Keiichi frowned. "You mean they didn't tell you?"

"Who tell me what?"

It was Sayoko who responded. "You mean these overgrown guerrillas didn't tell you anything? About that demon? That magic? How we ended up here? The giant freaking_ hole_ in your roof?" She demanded, dark eyes dancing accusingly from Belldandy to Lind, who stood at the side of the hallway, face as expressionless as the others who shared her uniform, watching with inquisitive eyes.

"No."

"No..." Belldandy repeated shaking her head slowly. "I was told nothing of such things-only that Keiichi and myself had arrived at the shrine, that Keiichi had been hurt and that I had been drugged by a demon and that Mara had been found in the shrine with us. They asked what had happened and I told them of the demons, and then they left me in Eir's care when they spoke of a demon-craft being practiced within one of the rooms here." She frowned, her expression growing perturbed as she gazed at the dual-angled Valkyrie. "Lind...I'm afraid I don't understand. Why didn't you tell me Megumi and Sayoko came as well? What didn't you tell me?"

Lind met Belldandy's gaze with unflinching blue eyes. "We had to be sure." She said. "We needed to be sure you weren't discussing things amongst each other-revealing to us who asked only part of the truth rather then all of it." She turned to look to her dark-haired comrade, who inclined her head before moving to stand before Lind and the small group of mortals Belldandy was with. "And we still have one person whom we need to question."

The Valkyrie turned her back to the group, walking further down the hallway and to Eir and Herja, who stood attentively in front of her. "After this, you're both to report your findings to Badb Catha." She said.

The two nodded to the woman before moving past her, coming to stand with the red-eyed Valkyrie whom had yet to be identified, almost blocking Lind and Mara from sight. The other Valkyries our of her way, Lind turned to Mara, who watched the Valkyrie warily from behind a transparent barrier of magic. Recognition flashed behind red eyes, and the demon let forth a growl that sounded more animal then human, baring her teeth in a snarl as she backed away from the barrier's entrance.

Lind didn't respond to the reaction, simply observing the demon as Mara slowly moved to back herself against a wall, coming to a halt as her boot scraped the back wall. "Mara, demon first-class, subordinate to the Daimakaicho herself."

"Are you responsible for the Goetia-craft that has been steadily increasing on this plane?"

"Goetia...?" The words came as a shock to the demon, repeating the phrase in the hopes that maybe she had heard wrong. Yet Lind's gaze remained steady, and another uneasy growl escaped Mara's throat. _Goetia-craft? Here?_ She wondered, holding the Valkyries eyes and searching for any signs of deceit. _That can't be right...even if a Goetia-level demon was summoned to this plane, he wouldn't be capable of preforming any of his craft-not if his summoner was a human. _

_What about Urd?_ Another, quieter voice whispered. _Urd learned Goetia-craft when she was still in Niflheim. Who's to say she still can't?_

_But if that's the case..._

The silence between the duo seemed to go on for an eternity, one Lind seemed content to wait out, ignoring Belldandy's questions and the three mortals demands. She watched, carefully examining the demon's features. Watched as pupils dilated in shock, a growl was cut off. Watched as a head bowed in thought and eyes left her own for the floor.

Watched as those same eyes rose to meet hers once more, and one word parted her lips.

"Yes."

* * *

_Comments from a mad woman: _Damn. For some reason, despite the fact that I was really excited to write this chapter, it certainly took it's time getting written. So now we have Valkyries on the scene, with only one of which everyone is familiar with.

I swear to the Heavens, Eir and Herja are the representations of some of the strange ideas I get. I'd origninally been hoping to make this a rather serious chapter, but after spending a weekend with my dad for my birthday and somehow getting on the subject of flying lawnmowers, one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eaters, and Bambi getting his revenge on the human population, I had to add those two.

Still don't like how they came out though...

Anyways, lot's of changes happening in my unit. I just discovered that I might be going to work with one of the RPA units we have, along with a good portion of other people in my unit, and I think I'm the only one who isn't in love with the idea. My feelings are mixed-yes, I'll be working with reapers/preds, I may even become an instructor at one unit, but at the same time, it means I won't deploy-one of the main reasons I joined was to travel. I guess I'll just have to play it by ear...

Also, for some strange and insane reason, I've started doing fanart for my own story. I don't know if it was something to just preoccupy me with when I was on a writer's block or what, but you should be able to find it if you go to my homepage and want to check it out.


	17. Berserk

Disclaimer: I don't own A!MG. And I'm fairly sure I'm going to lose a few fans after this. Again, this is going to be either a love or hate chapter. This may be a bit of a doozy, you've been warned.

* * *

_So I was right. _Despite an outwards face of stone, Lind felt herself smile inwards, both relieved and excited over the fact that it was the demon they had captured practicing Goetia-craft rather then any of the Norns. A relief-for a second she'd been sure the demon was going to deny it.

In front of her, said demon grinned, a smile like a shark on her face as Mara stared at Lind with those haunting red eyes of hers. "Yes...you caught me." The demon repeated, releasing a sigh of defeat before closing her eyes and shrugging her shoulders, sliding down against the wall and to the floor. _This is bad..._The demon thought. _I shouldn't be here, taking the blame for someone else. I shouldn't be locked up here as a prisoner. I need to get out of here, back to the others. They need to know the Valkyries have become involved now as well..._The woman buried her face in her hands, peeking upwards at the Valkyrie on the other side of the barrier between her fingers and finding that the blue-haired woman had been joined with another.

The demon's head jerked up in recognition of the Valkyrie, and the woman bit her tongue, biting back the scream that suddenly wanted to tear from her throat. "...Mad Crow..." She instead whispered, red eyes meeting a near mirror reflection as the black-haired Badb Catha stared down at Mara. _Shit._

The woman smiled down at her, revealing teeth a white the color of bleached bone, before looking to Lind. The younger woman frowned, looking between Mara and the Mad Crow before, after a moment's hesitation, turning back down the hallway. Catha returned her gaze to Mara, and the demon flinched.

"Herja, Eir, I need you to escort the mortals to the living room." Lind approached the small group in a rush, her movements fast and filled with an urgency reminiscent of a scared rabbit. Not even bothering to listen to the stammered and startled replies from her comrades, nor the large amount of protests from the trio of humans, Lind turned her attention to Belldandy. "Belldandy, I need you to come with me. There is still one final thing Badb Catha wants to confirm."

Confident her comrades would do as ordered in regards to Keiichi and the others, Lind turned away, walking briskly back down the hallway and to her commander's position, hearing Belldandy's softer footfalls behind her as the Norn trailed behind, sending her own reassuring words back to her friends as Eir and Herja gently led them away.

As they approached Badb Catha, Belldandy moved to walk side-by-side with Lind, before coming to a halt in front of the dark-haired woman along with Lind. "Lady Catha." She said. "Lind said there was something else you wished to verify from me. What is it you would like to know?"

Red eyes darted to the Norn of the Present, before catching and holding Lind's blue eyes once more. It was Lind who answered Belldandy's question, much to the Norn's surprise, and as those red eyes shifted to focus on the demon that had been captured, Lind spoke. "Badb Catha wants you to verify if what the demon we've captured here says is true or not." She said. "As a goddess first-class, you'll be able to tell us if the demon speaks the truth or not, or if she's trying to cover for another person.

Belldandy felt herself grow tense at the words spoken to her, and she looked into the room, staring at Mara, who held a look of a frightened rabbit under the intense gaze of Badb Catha, seemingly incapable of looking away from the Valkyrie who held eyes so similar to her her own. The goddess bit her lip, liking less and less the direction the conversation was going yet finding herself incapable of changing it's flow.

The lead Valkyrie blinked, and whatever spell she'd weaved over Mara vanished, the demon moving to bring a hand to her face as Badb Catha moved back and away from the entrance, allowing plenty of room for both Lind and Belldandy to take her place. And as Lind gently guided her companion to the front, Mara found herself catching Belldandy's eyes once more.

The demon looked terrified.

"Demon, I want you to repeat to Belldandy what it is you told me. Is it true that you are the one responsible for the Goetia-craft within this area?"

Mara's eyes darted from Belldandy's to Lind's and back again, blood-red eyes questioning what it was the Valkyrie was trying to accomplish. She swallowed a lump in her throat, shoving down the fear in her heart with all the expertise of one who spent a lifetime as the Daimakaicho's accomplice before focusing on Belldandy. "You mean to say they didn't tell you?" She asked. "That I'm the one responsible for all this Goetia-craft?"

The woman's words struck Belldandy like a bolt of lightning, and blue eyes widened in shock as she stared at Mara. "Mara...What do you...what are you tal-"

Mara cut her off with a roar of laughter. "Bell, stop acting so innocent. Who else would preform such an act? Certainly no _goddess_, I'll tell you that right now."

"But-"

"'But' nothing, Belldandy." The demon ran a hand through think locks of blonde hair, staring at the woman with a predator's smile. "Don't you see? Don't you get it? This was all just another plot of mine to get you off the third-dimension. Start practicing demon-craft to the point where Valkyries become suspicious, then plant the evidence on the goddesses who actually reside on the plane." She shrugged her shoulders, ignoring the hurt expression on Belldandy's face as she continued. "What can they do? Chances are, they wouldn't recognize a Goetia-craft if it bit them in the butt. And the mortal who they live with? Ha! What does a mortal know about gods and demons? Absolutely nothing. A Valkyrie could ask him anything, and his words couldn't be taken for evidence do to the fact that he wouldn't know what he was talking about."

The demon bowed her head, baring her teeth in a hostile smile as she stared up at Belldandy through thick blonde bangs. "It's the perfect plot. And it almost worked if those other demons hadn't tried to move in on my territory." Burning eyes darted to icy blue. "But I'm sure the Mad Crow and your Berserker Wolf there already know about them." The demon leaned back, rolling her head back on her shoulders and allowing it to rest against the wall she leaned up against. "Hild is going to be upset with me again..." She murmured.

Next to Belldandy, Lind watched the duo interaction carefully, examining Belldandy's expression carefully for any signs that might show a lie from the demon._ Her reaction seems honest enough..._The Valkyrie thought. _But is it do to the past relationship the two share? Or is she confused over the __demon taking the fall for a deity?_ She twitched at the jibe the demon threw her way, but years of discipline prevented the Valkyrie from acting on it, and instead she sent the demon a dark glare, gaining nothing but a satisfied grin from their captive instead. _And who are these 'other demons' she talks about?_

"Mara...I-I don't understand...why are you doing this?" Lind diverted her attention back to Belldandy, surprised to see tears flowing down her cheeks at the demon's words. "Please...stop this..." The Norn moved to press her hands against the barrier, where the energy that formed it snapped and crackled at her touch. "This isn't like you!"

The Valkyrie grabbed the Norn by the arm, pulling her away from the barrier of magic. "Belldandy, what are you doing?" She hissed. "Are you _trying _to hurt yourself? You should know better!" The woman looked down to the woman's hands, where sure enough, burns had appeared where the magic had bitten her. Yet Belldandy pulled away from the Valkyrie.

"Mara, I want an answer from you." the brunette demanded. "Why are you doing this? You know you-"

"Shut up."

With a grunt, the demon rose once more to her feet, shoving hands in her pockets as she walked to the front of her make-shift cell. "Just shut the hell up Belldandy." The words came out softly, and even Lind seemed taken aback by the tone with which Mara spoke. "You don't know what you're talking about, so stop trying to reason out what I'm doing. I'm a demon Belldandy. A goddamned _demon_. It's only natural I'd want you off this plane."

Eyes like hellfire drifted from Belldandy to Lind. "Anything else you want me to confess to, Wolf?" She asked, before her eyes drifted to the dark shadow that was Badb Catha. "...Or have I damned myself in the eyes of you and your master that I can have the guarantee of my flesh being made a coat for your ilk to don, Mad Crow?"

The demon felt a smile tug at the corner of her mouth as eyes the color of drawn blood widened in shock.

"What?"

Mara looked back to Belldandy and Lind, both of whom, even Lind, who's discipline should have prevented it, stared in open shock at the demon. "Mara...what do you mean?" Belldandy continued.

The demon chuckled. "You mean you, a goddess with a first-class liscence, doesn't know? How the Valkyries become so powerful?" She focused on Lind, her expression dark. "Perhaps you should ask them then..."

There was a whisper of cloth against flesh, and suddenly Badb Catha was in front of the barrier, knocking the two younger woman off to the side, where the dark woman glared down at them. Lind tensed under the sharp gaze, and then nodded before grabbing Belldandy by the arm once more. "Let's go Belldandy." She murmured, voice low as she gently guided the woman away from the captive demon and Valkyrie commander. "We can't be here any longer."

Badb Catha watched the two until they disappeared into the same room that held Keiichi and the others before returning her gaze to Mara. She swept an arm out in front of the barrier, and a surge of magic swept through, slicing into Mara like a sword made of pure energy and throwing her back against the wall. The woman impacted against it with a gasp of pain, and as the demon slid once more to the floor, she smiled up at the woman, baring her teeth in a snarl as the fear she'd been trying so desperately to withhold from Belldandy returned full force.

_Hurry up and get me out of here guys..._She thought, feeling a bead of fear-induced sweat roll down her neck as the Mad Crow stared down at her from the other side of the barrier.

_I...don't want to die..._

Outside, within the trees near her cell, the caw of a crow sung a tune of foreboding.

* * *

"Lind, I don't understand-what was Mara talking about?" Belldandy inquired as they walked down the hall and towards the room holding the others. "What did she mean?"

The duo paused in front of the door holding the others, and as Lind moved to grab the handle, Belldandy's hand fell atop her wrist. The Valkyrie looked up sharply, meeting eyes usually held with so much warmth, now dark with a concern over what Lind could only view as an enemy. "Lind, _please._"

The Valkyrie hesitated, unused to seeing such an emotion from anyone, let alone the goddess at her side. The warrior looked back to the door, where her hand still clasped the small slab used to slide the door open.

Cracks had appeared around it's frame.

She looked back to Belldandy, this time with a frown on her face. "I can't say." She said, steel in her voice as she met Belldandy's gaze with eyes that glittered like diamonds. The woman then looked back to the door. "I couldn't, even if I wanted to."

She slid the door open.

And froze at the sight that greeted her, as three pairs of human eyes stared up at her and Belldandy in relief.

Eir and Herja sat together next to the door, no doubt guarding it from any potential escape attempts from the three mortals present. The mortals in question...

...Were currently huddled in a corner, eyeing the two Valkyries as though they were the guardians of hell itself, Garm on one end, Cerberus on the other.

Belldandy felt any more questions for Lind die in her throat at the sight, and automatically her eyes drifted to Herja, a small part of feeling an odd sense of deja vu as she recalled something resembling a more recent past experience and wondering if her hypothesis was correct.

Herja was singing again.

This time it was Sayoko who let out a plea for help, rather then a demon who, once upon a time, had found herself in a similar situation. "Belldandy, you need to get us out of here. These two are nuts!" She pointed to Eir. "Pinky over there is hearing voices that want to feed us our own souls." She then pointed to Herja. "And the overgrown songbird is like one of those creepy kids from a horror movie-she keeps singing in a little kid's voice, and her lyrics sound like they're straight from hell itself!"

Next to her, her arms wrapped around her brother's neck, Megumi cried out. "I don't want to eat my own soul!"

Apparently shoved to the front of the small pack of mortals by both Megumi and Sayoko, Keiichi sat with his arms across his chest, his own past experiences with tenth-dimensional beings, be they divine or damned, having somewhat jaded his sense of fear to the two Valkyries antics. He looked up to Belldandy and Lind, his expression a mixture of annoyance and frustraition. "...Lind, please tell me you can get these two under control." He said. "I've got nothing against your friends here or anything like that but...they're starting to get on my nerves with all the talk about eating souls and hell."

The two woman blinked, and abruptly, Lind shut the door once more, much to everyone elses surprise.

"Lind? What are-"

The warrior cut Belldandy off, staring at the Norn with such an expression that left Belldandy suddenly incapable of finishing her question. "Belldandy, can I trust you to stay _right here_ for a moment, without leaving or entering this room until I return?"

The goddess blinked in surprise. "W-well I don't see why not, but-" Again, she never had a chance to finish her words as Lind spun on her heels and raced further down the hallway, disappearing 'round a corner, where Belldandy dimly became aware of a door opening and closing. She stared at the corner the Valkyrie had disappeared around, hearing the muffled cries and protests from inside the room she stood next to and desperately wanting to enter and see to Keiichi and the others.

And then, just as quickly as she departed, Lind returned, her hair slightly ruffled and a slight hint of pink to her cheeks. Dark brows furrowed together in concern at the warrior's appearance. "Lind, are you alright?"

The light haired goddess stared for a second, then nodded her head vigorously. "I...just needed to do something real fast." Was it her imagination, or did Belldandy catch a hint of laughter in the stotic woman's voice?

The Norn would never get the chance to find out, for Lind once more moved to slide the door open, entering and making a beeline for the two goddess that had accompanied her planet-side. Before anyone had a chance to speak, the blue-haired Valkrie had her two companions by the collar of their uniform, and was dragging them back to the door, where the lone Norn of the household watched from outside.

As Lind exited the room with Eir and Herja, she sent Belldandy a look. "If you would be so kind, please enter and remain in the room with Keiichi and the others. I must also ask that you and the other's remain inside the room until I return." The woman looked down to her two wayward companions, who, almost like a pair of cats, had grown eerily silent with the hands clutching the collar of their uniforms. "I feel I must have a small discussion with my fellow Valkyries for a moment."

Belldandy nodded mutely to the woman, watching as Lind returned it with a curt nod of her own, before moving to drag the two women into another room, the door opening and closing with some strange skill with Lind's foot.

Deciding to take the younger woman's advice, Belldandy entered the room Keiichi, Megumi, and Sayoko were left in, shutting the door behind her with a soft snap.

With the Valkyries gone and Belldandy in sight, Keiichi gently pried his sister off his neck, before moving to stand. "Belldandy, what's going on?" He asked. "What did Lind want with you back there?"

The concern was so thick on the man that Belldandy could almost see it wafting off his body, and the Norn approached him, Mara's words returning from earlier with the concern Keiichi had for her and squeezing her heart like some great coil. "Keiichi..." She said, moving, much to the youth's surprise, to embrace the man. "I'm worried. Mara said some things to me that disturbed me." The goddess leaned her head against Keiichi's shoulder, and surprised and uncertain of what else to do, he hugged her back, hoping he might act as some sort of comfort against whatever it was that was ailing the goddess.

"Mara is afraid...of Badb Catha, and something else, I think, but I don't know what. And she's hiding something, lieing to me with words I haven't heard since my childhood. I don't understand, and I think the only one who might is incapable of telling me." Belldandy looked up, where blue eyes met brown. "She doesn't want me speaking to Lind or the others about what has been happening here."

Sayoko stared at the goddess, her face twisting in a scowl. "Wait, you don't mean that damned demon, do you? Why the hell are you on such good terms with that woman, Belldandy? Why would someone like you know a demon?" She demanded.

"It's...a complicated relationship." Keiichi said, disliking the direction the conversation was heading and hoping he might somehow be able to dodge some of the more complicated questions.

He'd been doing it since Lind had first come to him and the girls, demanding answers to questions he wasn't even sure he had the right answers to, all the while finding himself assaulted by questions from Megumi and Sayoko over who had taken over the shrine and what Lind and her people were going to do to them.

Feeling like a victim of the Spanish Inquisition, the man had done his best to duck and dodge the questions that were harder to explain, all too aware of the two goddesses in the room with him, one of which could call him for any lies that might make a more reasonable explanation over goddesses and demons and magic, and finding himself more then lost as questions of Goetia and demon-craft were thrown his way.

And while being thrown into another room with the two creepy Valkyries seemed to have actually helped act as an explanation, the two women, for all they'd now obtained a better understanding of the situation, still seemed reasonably ignorant to just what it meant to have goddesses straight from Heaven having descended upon the mortal plane.

Still wrapped in Keiichi's arms, Belldandy shook her head, a soft, almost forlorn smile on her face. "Mara and I go back." She said. "She was always more Urd's friend then mine, yet whenever I was with Urd back then, it was almost a guarantee that Mara would be there as well." Her gaze drifted downwards to the ground, and the smile left her face. "Because we were oftentimes in Heaven, Mara was always in danger of getting into trouble, with Urd and myself guilty as associates. And sure enough, we did get into trouble, too. Yet rather then tell the truth, that we were friends, Mara or Urd would always step up, claiming some great demon's plot that had been foiled by the goddesses at her side.

_"Just shut the Hell up Belldandy."_

"I can remeber objecting to the lies one time. Mara immediately silenced me before I could even speak a word of truth, insulting me to the point where I was left speechless. Urd later explained the motives behind her actions, but..."

Megumi folded her arms across her chest, a grim smirk on her face. "Sounds like this demon of yours certainly cared for you, if she and your sister were going through so much to protect you." She said. "Now I can't say I fully understand it, but from what it sounds like, you could get into a whole heap of trouble if your people ever found out you ever befriended a demon, am I right?"

Confused at the direction the conversation was going, Belldandy nodded. "Yes...associating with a demon, especially one such as Mara, who has such close ties to the Daimakaicho herself, can be considered a crime on some sort of level."

Sayoko tipped her head off to one side, rubbing her head in thought. "So let me get this straight then. Those...women said they were gods, and you were a god too, right?" At Belldandy's nod of confirmation, Sayoko continued. "And I'm pretty sure we're all aware that that 'Mara' woman is a demon, what with her possessing the younger Morisoto and all." This time her words earned her a glare from both siblings, their expressions mirroring eachother so simalarly it was near terrifing. She laughed nervously. "Aha...anyways...from what it sounds like, these gods and demons aren't exactly friendly with eachother. If that's the case, I suppose it could make sense what might happen if two opposing factions kept meeting up like good buddies and everything. I bet they'd think you were a spy or something if you were seen with a demon..."

The woman gained nothing but silence from the goddess, who's expression gave nothing away.

And from the setting silence, came the sound of screams.

* * *

The demon couldn't stand it, being locked up within the cell as she was, with a Valkyrie who wouldn't even talk for company. She'd moved to a corner of the room, resting her back against the wall once more and feeling a little safer with two sides of her protected by wood.

Mara didn't dare turn her back on a creature like Badb Catha.

And it seemed Badb Catha wouldn't dare turn her back to a creature such as Mara, either.

The demon watched the Valkyrie, examining her actions just as she was certain Badb Catha was doing her, watching as every now and then, the dark-haired woman would tilt her head slightly to one side, as though listening to a voice only she could hear, watch as her gaze would sometimes drift off to some distant world far, far away, only to return with that frightening clarity on Mara herself.

Watched schemeing eyes plotting behind a face of stone.

_I'd heard rumors those eyes could paralyze a demon to the point of turning a demon to stone if given enough time..._Mara thought to herself._ I wonder if that 's her intent then...turn me to stone then drag me to heaven for her pups...Will she ever look away? I can't do anything with a damned flying wolf glaring at me like a rabbit..._

The demon bared her teeth at the Valkyrie, gaining no outward response in any way, shape, or form from the woman. _May Niflheim bless you! Stop staring at me already Mad Crow!_

_..._

_..._

_...This one has prey within it..._

The thought was not her own, and Mara straightened reflexively as the stray thought crossed her mind. "What?" She asked aloud, eyes darting away from the woman who was her guard and to the inside of the room that was her cell, searching for the owner of the voice. Yet no creature met her gaze. Nothing but the observant, curious gaze of the Mad Crow, watching silently behind a barrier of magic.

Gritting her teeth and feeling a fool for listening to what had to be little more then wistful hallucinations, Mara slouched back against the wall once more, her right hand moving to scratch absently at an itch that had manifested itself in her left shoulder blade. "Wonderful." She muttered. "I'm so goddamned paranoid about being in the company of the Mad Crow that I'm starting to hear voices." She said aloud, uncaring if the 'Mad Crow' she spoke of heard her or not.

The demon frowned, the itch in her shoulder refusing to fade in a manner that irked her to no end, seeming to grow only more agitated the longer she scratched. She scratched harder.

_...For what reason do you hesitate, Goetia?_

Again, a voice not her own, echoing within her mind. Again, Mara stiffened, her hand freezing from where it rested on her shoulder as red eyes slowly moved to traverse her surroundings once more, growing more and more distressed as still, nothing came to reveal itself as the owner of the voice.

Her shoulder growing into a burning presence demanding her attention, Mara moved her hand off her shoulder, instead bringing her legs to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs, burying her face in a mass of limbs. "Who are you?" She whispered, words hidden and muffled from the Valkyrie who watched with open curiosity. "And why are you calling me a damned Goetia? I've never eaten a feather of an angel, let alone tasted the thing's blood." Her shoulder was still burning, and she found herself reminded of a time not-so-long ago, where an ache of a different nature throbbed on the same shoulder that now burned, reminding her of a weapon that had long disappeared from her existence and it's sudden return to a plane she'd been on for over five hundred long years.

Why was her shoulder acting up again? Why did it burn so? Had her Angel Biter nipped a god? Or was the metal in her shoulder reacting to the Valkyries she found herself in the presence of? "Are you sure you don't have me mistaken for my grandfather?" She whispered to the voice in her head. "If ever there was a Goetia in my family, it'd be him, not me."

She gained no response from the voice, only a sudden flare to the fire that brought out a gasp of pain, and two hands moved to claw at the area, grabbing nothing but cloth in a vain attempt at grabbing the source of the fire in her shoulder.

..._Are you not hungry?_ The voice came again, again with a fresh wave of pain, and this time Mara screamed, feeling as though something was trying to burst from her shoulder.

"Go away!" She howled to the voice, eyes blinded to the world around her as she snapped at the air near her left shoulder, like a coyote caught in a trap. "Shut up! I'm not hungry, leave me alone!" Her right hand scratched vigorously at her shoulder blade, where nails that had grown into sharp points snagged on cloth and tore the material. Claws assaulted bare flesh, and as Mara continued her mad assault on her shoulder, moisture of a foreign nature dampened her fingers.

_Do you not wish to know the taste of Magnetite once more?_

And then as suddenly as the pain came, it vanished, and Mara froze, her heart in her throat and gasping as she sought to caught a breath she'd lost. Trembling, she brought her hands away from her raw, now-throbbing shoulder, staring down at her right hand in surprise, almost not recognizing the blood that covered her fingers.

"W-what?" She stared down at her hands in shock, staring at the claws that had grown from nails she'd continuously cut short. "I..I'm...magnetite?" Shaken by a force she didn't understand, Mara slowly raised her head up, looking across the room and to the intense gaze of Badb Catha, who'd watched the entire incident with a passive face, her hands moving to grip the hilt of the sword at her waist.

Two pairs of red met.

"Magnetite."

And Mara's world exploded.

* * *

"What the hell is that?" Megumi demanded, looking around for the source the cries were emminating from, and found her actions copied by those occupying the room with her.

The muffled sounds of running footsteps were the closest thing the girl got to an answer, and Keiichi released his grip from Belldandy in favor of the door, sweeping it open in time to catch the retreating figures of Lind and her Valkyrie companions, racing down the hall and back to where Mara lay imprisoned. The man let out a curse before chasing after them, hearing Belldandy and the others call out to him before falling in step behind the man.

What they found at the end of the hallway would come to haunt Keiichi for a good amount of time.

Mara was the source of the screams.

Crowded with four Valkyries and soon to be even more packed with mortals, Keiichi wormed his way through the mass of Valkyries and to the entrance of the room containing Mara, finding the black-haired Badb Catha at it's front, sword drawn and ready, and Mara within at it's back, staggering as she fought to maintain her balance as her hands clawed at her left shoulder blade, screaming.

"Mara?" His eyes widened, and automatically they went to the woman he found himself next to, staring up at Badb Catha with accusing eyes. "What did you do to her?" He demanded, looking back to the demon, who once more let out a howl as her body shuddered with pain. "What are you doing? Stop it!"

Within her prison, Mara snarled, hands moving away from her shoulder to clutch instead a head that tilted back in a shriek, and suddenly the blonde charged at the group, colliding with the wall shoulder-first and sending bright blue sparks dancing across the woman's body. The demon let loose a wail that hurt Keiichi's ears, and Mara staggered back.

The demon rushed the barrier again, and this time Keiichi felt an arm wrap around his torso, moving forcing him back just as Mara collided with the magical wall once more. Again, blue streaks of lightning danced and arched where flesh met magic, however this time, Keiichi was almost positive he saw a bright silhouette, what could only be the barrier itself, bend and buckle under the charge.

He looked to the owner of the arm that had drawn him back, finding Badb Catha connected to the end, her face grim as the demon continued her desperate assault against the barrier.

"She's trying to break through."

Keiichi looked to his side, where Lind had suddenly appeared, Eir and Herja having vanished further down the hall. A corner of the woman's lip twitched down in what might have been a frown before shifting her gaze from Mara to Keiichi. "You need to leave this area. At the rate she's going now, she might break through." To herself she thought, _the barrier we errected around her were meant to handle a tame demon. Not one continuously beating her skull against the opening with no sign of slowing. What is causing her to go berserk?_

Her thoughts gave her no answers, and the frown deepened minutely as Lind brought her own weapon to her side, shifting her stance for when the demon broke free.

"Watch out!"

...Only to find herself knocked off-balance by the very mortal she'd told retreat, the young man plowing into her side with all the strength of a football player and, if only out of surprise, knocking the blue-haired Valkyrie to the ground. And before Lind could even get in a word for his foolishness, the barrier in front of her rippled, and something exploded behind her.

Icy eyes widened a fraction of an inch, and Lind looked to Mara, who's eyes had begun to glow as she fell back, clawing at her shoulder once more and snapping at the air like a rapid beast. Her head whipped to the side, and Mara snarled at the small group. Again, the wall of magic rippled as something penetrated the barrier, and a small section of the wall behind Badb Catha exploded, a small portion of the collar of her uniform falling away and revealing an exposed neck.

One hand immediately went to the revealed flesh in shock, and a look of alarm befell the calculating Badb Catha. From her prison, Mara once more moved to clutch her head, and her head tilted back in a shriek as she swayed violently back and forth, as though some invisible presence were assaulting her body.

"What are you guys doing? Are you blind? Watch out, before she throws another one!" Keiichi shouted, standing from where he'd fallen with Lind and turning his gaze to Mara, dark eyes watching

as from Mara's shoulder, metallic blades dressed in a red glow erupted like great silver spires, only for the woman to jerk her shoulder, and send the metallic growths flying.

The man let out an oath as Mara unleashed the attack, and quickly he moved to tackle Badb Catha to the ground, the blade just missing her shoulder and exploding against the wall behind them both, leaving a small hole trickling light from outside in its place.

"Keiichi!"

The youth looked back, finding Belldandy fighting her way through the wall of Valkyries made of Eir and Herja, her hand reaching out to him as she finally broke through the duo's blockade and towards the remaining Valkyrie and lone mortal. The goddess made a bee line for the group, only to freeze as once more, Mara let loose a pained howl. Immediately, Belldandy diverted her attention to the demon, and before Keiichi could give any sort of warning, another blade flew from Mara's shoulder, sailing past Belldandy's head and nicking the woman's cheek.

The brunette brought a hand to the sliced area, and as she brought it away, her eyes widened as a thin sliver of red that painted her fingers. "Blood?" She looked to Mara, eyes wide with alarm. "Mara, what are you doing! You know we aren't allowed to draw blood on other planes!" She cried.

The demon shrieked in response.

"Belldandy, get out of here!" Keiichi cried. "Something keeps coming out of her shoulder!" He pointed to the demon, who staggered back with a toss of her head.

Belldandy's brows furrowed together in concern. "Her shoulder?" She asked aloud, taking a moment to more carefully examine the sole demon in the shrine, taking note of a left shoulder blade that seemed to drive the demon into a crazed frenzy. "Her shoulder..."

A memory struck her, and then Belldany wheeled around and bolted back down the hallway, sliding to a halt moments before colliding with Eir and Herja once more. She stopped in front of Urd's room, throwing the door open and rushing inside. _Where is it...where is it? _The woman made her way past various shelves lined with indistinguishable glyphs, searching for the one shelf Belldandy knew her sibling stored her already-made potions.

And as a demon's howls of pain echoed through the hallways of the shrine, so too did the voices of the past, as Urd's voice overtook Mara's screams. "_Belldandy, I need you to listen very carefully to me." They were playing with Marller, but then Marller stopped playing because her shoulder hurt. "I need you to run back to my room and grab a potion with these symbols on it." She drew the pictures in the dirt with her finger, her other arm wrapped around a grimacing Marller for support. "It's a special potion that I keep..."_

"...on the shelf compartment above your bed..." Belldandy recalled, making her way over to the bed and carefully opened the drawers with a soft tug, a relieved smile blossoming on her face as she found the potion she needed. Taking only a moment to be sure the symbols were the same as the ones from her memory, the goddess once again twirled on her feet and darted out of the room.

Eir and Herja had vanished, along with the two mortals they'd been preventing from getting any closer to what had become a makeshift battlefield, and as Belldandy exited the room, a sense of urgency befell her as once more, Mara's screams, ones that had grown hoarse from a continuous abuse, filled the air. The woman approached, yet it seemed only Lind took note of her presence, Badb Catha and Keiichi both heavily focused on the demon before them.

"Here comes another!" Keiichi shouted, and Belldandy watched as both Valkyries at his side moved into a guarded stance. The young man tensed. "Badb Catha! To your left!" The mortal and Lind darted to the right, and Badb Catha's sword swung left, where something shattered into sparks against her blade.

Somehow, mortal and warriors had created a system together, using Keiichi's eyes and two warriors skills to fend off the attacks from within the barrier itself, perhaps in the hopes of wearing the demon down to the point where one party might gain the opportunity to act without causing _too_ much undue harm to the woman that was their prisoner.

From within her cell, Mara snarled once more before charging the barrier, fingers that had grown dark with burns scratching across the surface, finding purchase in the small holes she'd made, tearing into it with a fierceness that was frightening. And it was here that Badb Catha and Lind approached, respective weapons swinging at the barrier and bouncing off against it, the sound of metal striking magic creating a hollow whine that Belldandy could almost see.

It forced the demon back once more, and likewise, so too did the Valkyries back up, moving back to Keiichi's side and preparing to repeat the process once more.

Too bad Belldandy was going to have to interrupt.

"Lind!" Belldandy cried. "I need you to let the barrier down! I need to get to Mara!"

The Valkyrie diverted her attention to the goddess and sent her a look. "No."

Belldandy almost fell flat on her face from the casual denial.

Quickly, however, she rightened herself. "But I can stop this! I know how to calm Mara down!"

Again, Lind did little but send her A Look before returning her attention to Mara, causing Belldandy to give a rare display of a scowl before also shifting her attention to the demon. The woman pursed her lips in thought, before setting her face in a grim line. "Fine then..." She murmured, her grip on the potion tight. "I'm not going to stand here and argue-not when Mara is in such pain."

"Get ready guys..." Keiichi called in warning, growing tense with the others, waiting to call where the next blade might strike. "Lind! To your right!"

And as Keiichi and Badb Catha dodged and Lind moved to bring her axe down, so too did Belldandy make her move, unleashing a gust of wind strong enough to knock Lind off-balance and summoning a staff all at once.

As the barrier rippled from being pierced once more by a blade no god seemed capable of seeing, Belldandy's senses spread outward, searching for where the ripple had originated, and striking the newest hole before the ripples had a chance to settle. Using all the power she could summon without the removal of her seal, Belldandy overpowered the wavering barrier, and the magic shattered like glass, sending shards of light raining down upon the goddess that had destroyed it.

The barrier gone and Keiichi's and Lind's voices in her ears, Belldandy discarded the staff behind her, focusing her intent on Mara and charging the demon. Perhaps having a similar idea, perhaps mearly blinded by a pain and driven a will not her own, Mara did likewise, and the two met in the center of the room, where Belldandy maneuvered around the clawed hands of a demon that had begun to loose her concentration on her human body and...

...And Belldandy kissed her.

Taken aback by the strange attack, Mara stumbled backwards, trying to remove herself from the goddess, only to find Belldandy moving with her, the goddess placing her hands on Mara's shoulders to steady herself, and then _deepened_ the kiss.

In retaliation, Mara brought her own hands to the goddess's shoulders, and nails dug into the flesh with little protection 'sides the thin material of her shirt, her eyes widening and mouth parting as though in protest of Belldandy's actions.

And then the liquid entered her mouth.

Bemused, the demon automatically swallowed the liquid that poured into her mouth, the liquid tasting vile and disgusting, causing the blonde to gag. Her grip on Belldandy increased, and the woman in question felt several small somethings pierce her flesh, yet still she didn't pull away.

The two remained frozen to each other for several minutes.

And then the potion slowly began to go into affect. Mara's penetrating grip on Belldandy's shoulders decreased, and the glowing red that had filled her eyes like the heated glow of hellfire began to fade away. The tension in Mara's body began to fade, and Belldandy removed her lips from Mara's. And as the tension faded, so too did the strength brought on by a rage and pain of an alien nature, and in it's place, fatigue came.

Carefully, Belldandy lowered her companion to the floor, where the duo came to kneel. "Belldandy..." Mara's eyes had not left Belldandy's since the woman had entered the cell, and now they fluttered with exhaustion. "You...idiot..." The words came out a harsh croak, and unable to remain conscious anymore, the demon leaned into the goddess, her breaths coming out in the soft and steady rhythm of sleep.

Gently, Belldandy moved Mara off her, carefully laying her down on the floor before rising to stand, a victorious smile sliding onto her face as she turned to face the others. Frozen, perhaps mesmerized, perhaps shocked, maybe even a mixture of the two, the trio of Valkyrie and mortal stared at Belldandy as she moved away from the now unconscious demon, happy and relieved to have been able to help.

The goddess coughed, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth and pausing midstep.

Keiichi's eyes widened in horror. "Belldandy!" He shouted.

A thin trail of blood trickled down the corner of her mouth, and the woman brought her hands away only to see the source of Keiichi's cry.

And then her body was suddenly assaulted with more coughs, the noise harsh and grating to Keiichi's ears as Belldandy bent over, bringing her hands once more to cover her mouth.

But not fast enough to catch all the blood that fell from her mouth.

The goddess fell to her knees, her body still wracked by coughs, and terrified blue eyes met Keiichi's.

He bolted to her side, just in time to catch her body before it hit the floor.

* * *

_Comments of a Mad Woman:_ You know, the whole scene with Mara and the others would have looked so much better as a comic. I have difficulty with thinking up fight scenes. That aside, I'm half expecting to get a crap load of hate for what I did to Bell and Mara, so I'll just sit back and grin, waiting for my supposed demise.

Also, driving lessons at night for a woman with little experience behind the wheel is absolutely terrifying. I should just be happy that no one else was on the road by the time I realized I was driving on the wrong side of the road. That and hearing 'turn at fifty' rather then 'fifteen'. Thankfully it was in a parking lot. I fear for the lives of any and all who are on the road when I'm behind the wheel.

May the gods save us all.


	18. In Excess

Angel Biter Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Warning: Graphic content

* * *

"Belldandy?"

The woman didn't respond,only kept couching, the sound harsh and ragged as she heaved in his arms. More blood flew from her mouth, spotting Keiichi's shirt red and rising the fear the young man's gut.

"C-come on Bell, wake up. You got to wake up Belldandy." He said, panic rising in his voice as still, the goddess didn't respond.

This was wrong. So wrong. More wrong in more ways then he could ever recall. Belldandy was a goddess. She wasn't supposed to fall like this. She wasn't supposed to _bleed_. Yet all around him was proof of another story. The droplets of red that stained the floor, the red rust that had started to flake from his hands, the specks on his shirt, the liquid that trickled from Bell's mouth and dear _god_ there was too much blood_._

Another rush of coughs wracked Belldandy's body, and Keiichi drew the woman closer to him, at a loss as of what to do and more terrified then he'd ever been in his life.

Because this wasn't a person who was coughing up blood in his arms. This wasn't a moral, not a human. This was a _god_, this was _Belldandy_, and in all the time he'd been with her, he'd never seen her bleed.

"Keiichi."

A voice cut through the torrent of emotions that was his mind, calm and cool, and he looked to it, even as a hand gently came to rest on his shoulder.

It was Lind, calm and rational Lind, her expression peaceful even with her ruffled appearance. A gloved hand grabbed his chin firmly buy gently, and dark brown eyes met icy blue. "Let her go." A wave a calm fell upon his mind as he stared into her eyes, wrapping around him like a warm blanket of peace, and as Lind held his gaze his grip around Belldandy's body relaxed.

He never noticed Badb Catha approach.

He never saw her gently take Belldandy from him.

He never felt Belldandy leave his arms.

It wasn't until she felt Badb Catha's presence disappear from the room that Lind removed the first layer of her spell. The light-haired woman blinked, removing her hand from Keiichi and watching as Keiichi blinked as well, a partial glaze falling over his eyes as he continued to stare at the Valkyrie. The woman took a step back, looking him up and down and frowning at the amount of red she saw on his person.

The blood of a god.

This wasn't good.

"We need to go to your room." Lind instructed. "You will change out of your clothes and into a fresh pair, and you will give me your soiled outfit. Understood?"

Keiichi frowned at the mention of 'we' and his room, and the glaze faded somewhat from his eyes. Yet none the less the man nodded, and Lind stepped out of his path, allowing Keiichi to lead the way out of the room and to his bedroom.

She paused only once, looking back into the room with a blue gaze that fell upon a resting demon. They narrowed, and a flicker of gold flashed through blue.

Then she slid the door shut, leaving the demon to whatever nightmares haunted her in the realms of unconsciousness.

The spell had been one only Valkyries knew.

It had been designed with mortals in particular in mind, meant for use when raiding the battlefields of the dead, searching for those fallen warriors who would become Einherjar and brought to the halls of Valhalla, where there previous wounds would heal with mead and meat, only to be ripped asunder fresh as they fought against each other come them morn, training for the time of their final battle, one fought against the dead themselves as Ragnarök descended upon their world.

In the good 'ol days, such a spell wasn't needed-the warriors knew they were dead, knew who the Valkyries were, and were happy to go along to wherever it was Lind or one of her sisters were to lead them. However, times had changed the warriors of old, and where once great and lumbering berserkers had crushed each other with sword and axe, now warriors fought with their minds as much as their weapons, destroying each other with bullets that were lethal from a hilltop or spy tower, with bombs that could pierce the hulls of tanks and massacre those within, to missiles that could be fired from half a world a way and obliterate a country viewed as hostile.

More people died now-a-days because of that. And usually, when a Valkyrie finally found a warrior who met the qualifications of Einherjar, their mind had been so damaged by the ravages of war and the elongated time connected to their mortal shells that it was a danger to move them from their bodies of old. Sometimes they were confused, ignorant of their own deaths as behaving as though still alive, demanding she state her name and her purpose.

She couldn't recall the number of times one had tried to shoot her.

Others told a different story, calling her an angel, of mentions of heaven, of God, of Allah or Yami or reincarnation or so many other stories, so many of which she was the first to shoot down, incapable of lying to them and easing their souls and watching as they broke down in front of her, not as warriors, accepting their deaths and venturing off with her to their next destination, but as men, some broken and weeping, others numb and in shock, and still more angry; angry at their deaths, angry at the ones who'd killed them, angry at _her_...

And so new spells had been crafted, ones to soothe the souls of men and ease the transition into their new afterlife.

However, Keiichi was not a dead man. And Lind would be damned if she ever discovered a kind man such as him to be Einherjar, and so the spell's effect was diminished.

But it was enough.

Enough for Badb Catha to remove Belldandy from his grasp, to soothe the hysteria in his soul enough so as to tend to a goddess that had been poisoned, and _just _enough to guide a mortal who was at risk of a poisoning of his own away from any who might catch his sickness.

It was as the duo reached Keiichi's room that spell vanished entirely. The glaze of Lind's spell vanished completely as Keiichi moved to grasp the handle to his door, and the dark haired man hesitated before opening it. Keiichi glanced back behind him and past Lind, down the hallway longingly before looking to Lind once more.

"We'll take care of her." The Valkyrie said. "But we also need to tend to you as well. So I need you to follow my instructions. I need you to trust me."

Another brief moment of hesitation, and than Keiichi sighed, his shoulder slumping in a defeated nod before turning and entering his room, Lind a white shadow behind him.

Yes...thank the Almighty for spells of peace.

Even though the spell had left, Keiichi still felt it's lingering aftereffects of peace. However he also felt drained, maybe even numb if he looked for it, but more then anything else he felt lost. Lind's instructions were a godsend, and so not knowing what else to do, he followed them, slipping into his room and moving to his dresser, withdrawing a clean shirt and jeans. Clean clothes in hand, he looked over to Lind, who seemed to be gazing around Keiichi's room in no small amount of curiosity.

Her eyes seemed to be drawn to one item in particular and the woman approached it, scooping the black scarf up from where it dangled in his closet, hanging limply from the jacket hung on the hanger. The blue-haired woman looked back to Keiichi, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Do you mind if I borrow this?" She asked, catching Keiichi off guard and causing the man to stare.

After a moment of silence, Keiichi blinked and nodded. "Ah...sure." He said. "You could have it if you want. I never wear it and all it's been doing is collecting dust in my room." Something that might have passed for a smile of gratitude whisked across Lind's face, and Keiichi flushed, looking down at his clothes in the hopes that the Valkyrie wouldn't notice. "A-anyways, I...need to change." He said. "It shouldn't take too long. I'll be out in a minute or two so..." His eyes darted to the door than back to Lind, who stared at him questionably.

"Could you...leave?" Keiichi tried a different approach, wondering if it was a normal thing in Heaven for a Valkyrie to watch a man change clothes.

Realization dawned in Lind's eyes, yet rather then head for the outside hallway like Keiichi had imagined, the woman stayed firmly planted where she stood, the black scarf dangling from her neck like some peculiar accessory.

"No."

Keiichi stared, wondering if Lind was trying to play some kind of joke on him to distract his distressed mind from Belldandy, feeling a pang of worry as he recalled the state Belldandy was in, and then briefly wondering if Lind even knew what a joke _was_.

"...Why...?" The word came out long and drawn out, spoken slowly and carefully as though afraid Lind wouldn't understand what it was Keiichi was asking.

Lind raised an eyebrow.

"Because you've been exposed to something that has the potential to be _very_ dangerous if we're not careful, Keiichi Morisato." The Valkyrie responded. "For the next twenty-four hours, a Valkyrie needs to be visually in your presence to watch for any signs that may be evidence of your body breaking down on itself. If it does happen, you'll need to be treated as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you'll die."

Keiichi sputtered a question that Lind took as a desire for an explanation, and the goddess frowned. "Start changing. Turn your back to me if you need to, but start changing and I'll explain."

The man did as ordered, his face rising to a bright pink of embarrassment before turning away from Lind and tugging his shirt off. His back to her, Lind sighed before moving to lean against the wall adjacent his door, sliding the door shut with a magical flick of the hand. "Keiichi, you know what happens when a new organism is introduced into a new environment, don't you?"

His head stuck underneath his shirt, the student gave an unintelligible grunt that Lind took as a 'no'. "Depending on the organism, it is possible for that new entity to entirely wipe out the native population it is introduced to. Sometimes it is due to the fact that it devours everything and anything the native creature uses to survive, and thus quickly wipes out the population altogether. Other times, it feeds on the native creatures themselves to the point where again, the population is wiped out. But more commonly, that foreign entity brings with it all the diseases and viruses of its formal home, where it has long since grown immune and is little more then a carrier for these smaller entities."

"When introduced to a new population, those viruses and bacteria transfer onto the native population, who have never come in contact to any of these creatures and thus lack the proper immunities needed to fend them off. The sickness infects them quickly and spreads like wildfire throughout the population until the native are completely wiped out. It's happened countless times in the past, be it with beast or man, and the same thing is possible among gods and demons as well."

Here Keiichi paused, in the middle of pulling his arm through his fresh shirt as his mind registered what it was Lind was telling him.

"It is an unfortunate fact that tenth dimensional beings harbor the same variety of illnesses as our lower dimensional cousins." Lind continued, silently urging Keiichi to hurry up so they could leave the room. "We discovered this the hard way, after wiping out the Almighty knows how many populations of human through disease and illness. And so a spell and a rule were created to minimize the affect we would have on the native population-be we deity or demon."

The woman fondled the scarf around her neck, watching Keiichi pull his pants off before grabbing the new pair. She frowned. "What are you doing?"

Keiichi looked back at her, his face brightening once more into a shade reminiscent of pink lemonade. "What do you mean? I'm putting my pants on."

The woman narrowed her eyes at him, and Keiichi froze, wanting very much to dart under his bed in an effort to hide himself from her gaze. "You still have something you need to take off though." She said, pointing to his boxers.

Keiichi grabbed hold of the elastic around his waist as though his life depended on it. "Oh, you must be _kidding_ me." He said lowly. "There is no way in _hell_ I'm changing my drawers with a chick in here."

Lind's expression didn't change. "Keiichi, at what point in the small amount of time you've known me have I ever 'kid' with you?" She asked, her voice holding a threatening octave that put Keiichi on edge. "Because the magical barrier that the tenth dimension wears adorns as protection for those on the lesser planes was destroyed on Belldandy's person when that demon drew her blood, and because her blood landed on _you_, we can only assume that your clothes-_all_ of them-have been contaminated by the diseases that we have grown immune to. Now if you don't want the risk of dieing a slow and painful death-_not _by my hands, mind you-you'd better drop your _chonies _and hand them over."

Somehow despite the threatening tone of her voice, Lind's words sounded more like a vicious warning of the fate set to him if Keiichi didn't follow the Valkyries orders. Even still...

The youth sheepishly raised a hand. "Can you at least turn around for _that_ then?"

* * *

Several miles outside the gates of Kadena Air Force Base, a small group of enlisted airmen were enjoying themselves at a strip club. The pole dancer swung and twirled on her bar, one long and lanky leg outstretched for all the world to admire.

"_MOVE YOUR ASS, MORTAL!"_

So surprised at the sudden shout that permeated the walls of the club that the group of airmen rose to their feet automatically. "Yes _Sir_!" The shouted at once, despite the fact that the voice had been female in nature.

And it was at that time the stiletto heel of the pole dance collided into the head of one of the airmen, knocking him out and sending him to the floor faster then anyone could blink.

After panicked cries, several pictures and a short ride to the hospital, the airman would later return to the States with several new stitches in his temple and pictures of the the the stripper and himself standing happily beside one another, telling stories of adventures in strip bars and how he'd heard the voice of God in the form of a woman.

* * *

Several minutes later found a freshly changed Keiichi following an irate and blushing Valkyrie carrying blood-stained clothes down a hall and into the room Lind had claimed held Belldandy.

And as Lind juggled his old clothes into one arm and swung the door open, Keiichi found that once again she'd been telling the truth, the room holding a resting Belldandy and Badb Catha, the latter of which looked up from her charge at the sound of the sliding door. The black haired woman nodded a greeting to Lind but otherwise made no move to stand, her gaze drifting to Keiichi before nodding in what he could only assume was approval before returning her attention to the Norn beside her.

Belldandy didn't look much better from when Keiichi had last seen her, but she wasn't coughing anymore, something Keiichi decided was a good thing. The black haired woman had laid the goddess out on a spare futon, covering the Norn with a blanket that glowed with sigels when he looked at it from a certain angle. Keiichi sincerely hoped it was helping the goddess.

With a dismissing look from Lind, Keiichi moved to sit opposite Badb Catha, resting next to Belldandy's head and reaching a hand out to brush away the brown bangs that had fallen onto closed eyes. A white gloved hand grabbed his wrist before he could so much as touch her however, and with a start he looked up to Badb Catha, who shook her head in disapproval before releasing him once more.

Wonderful. He wasn't even allowed to touch the woman he loved.

Keiichi withdrew his wrist with a frown, his gaze drifting back down to Belldandy before looking sharply back up at the Valkyrie on the other side of him in alarm. Wait, had that been-

From where the collar of Badb Catha's uniform had been cut and had fallen away, Keiichi saw a long and jagged scar on the black haired woman's neck. Long and silver with age, it wrapped around the woman's throat for as far as he could see before the uniform collar blocked it, only to be blocked further from view by a hand that suddenly appeared. Keiichi's gaze traveled upwards and into the face that owned it, and quickly looked away at the glare Badb Catha sent his way. "Shit...sorry." He said.

Lind approached from behind, her arms empty of all but the scarf Keiichi had given her. He followed her as the Valkyrie removed the scarf from her neck and offered it to the her superior. "Here." She said as Badb Catha took the material. "It's a gift from Keiichi." With that she moved to stand next to the young man, motioning towards him when the dark haired Valkyrie looked at Lind in surprise.

"Bu-" Lind kicked him lightly as Badb Catha's surprise turned into gratitude, and the Valkyrie wrapped the scarf around her neck with all the formalities of a ceremony, the scar disappearing from sight and and a tension Keiichi hadn't notice beforehand vanishing from Badb Catha's face.

As though feeling the tension leaving the room, Lind moved to sit beside Keiichi with a sigh of her own, bringing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Eir and Herja have taken your sister and your schoolmate back to their homes." She said. "None of the four were exposed in the fight, so it's better to have them return to their dwellings now rather then have them stay here and run the risk of exposure like yourself. My comrades will remain with yours for the next twenty-four hours, just as myself, just in case either one of them somehow managed to become infected. I doubt it though; Herja has some small practice in the medicinal arts and knows how to detect such illnesses. She could find none on either of your girls before they departed."

The Valkyrie grunted before shifting somewhat, withdrawing a bottle from somewhere behind her and offering it to Keiichi. As the mechanic took it from the Valkyrie to examine further, Lind continued. "That bottle once contained the potion Belldandy fed to the demon. Herja claims she recognizes several of the ingredients as not just illegal in Heaven, but poisonous to divinities as well. Why any goddess would have such an item in her possession is beyond me, but I can only assess that it belongs to Urd. Eir claims to have seen Belldandy run into that woman's room and rush out with the potion, so..."

The woman trailed off with a shrug, and with a sneer of disgust, Keiichi set the bottle aside, suddenly lacking any desire to touch the item. "Bell said she and Urd had known Mara since they were kids." Keiichi instead offered, looking down to Belldandy's resting form and feeling a lump rise in his throat.

Beside him, Lind nodded as Badb Catha watched on in silence. "Yes...there were several reports in Urd's profile suggesting to the relationship you just confirmed, and after seeing the effects that potion had on the demon, I can only assume it was kept in case just such an event ever took place." Another long sigh, and the goddess continued. "In that regard, even Badb Catha is willing to overlook the dangers of the potion and the illegal items used within it. However the fact remains that Belldandy is still ill from whatever cursed poison was used in that potion, and even with Herja's small skill as a medic, she does not have the training nor the experience necessary to make any sort of safe calls on just what needs to be done to save Belldandy."

The words struck Keiichi like a bolt of lightning, and as the color drained from his face the man slowly looked over to the woman at his side. "W...what do you mean Lind? What are you saying?"

Lind set her jaw, and from where he sat beside her Keiichi saw the white-knuckled grip with which she clutched her arms. "It means, Keiichi, that since descending, that Gate has been on an unofficial lock-down until we find the ones responsible for the Goetia-craft on this plain. It means no one can go up _or _down, and the closest person _we_ have as Valkyries is incapable of doing anything for Belldandy."

_It means that the only one on this plain who _can_ help her is not only our prime suspect for Goetia-craft, but is also no where in sight of the local area. It means that if we don't find that person soon, Belldandy is going to die, and we're _all _going to be in hot water as a result, and I can't think up a plan on how to get us all out of it, Keiichi._

Urd." Keiichi whispered, burying his face in his hands as the true severity of the situation fell upon him. "We need Urd."

Lind nodded, and Keiichi's next words were reflected within the minds of all those present.

"Where the hell is Urd?"

* * *

"Where the hell are we Urd?" Welsper screamed, claws buried deep within the wood of Stringfellow from where she clung in between Urd's arms and legs. They were deep within the city of Nekomi, in the downtown residential area where the the skyscrapers of business tycoons rose from the earth like great metal stalagmites. Goddess and demon weaved through the buildings, the sounds of the whistling wind and the roar of her heart echoing within her ears and taking them further away from the demons who wanted her so badly.

In all honesty, Urd wasn't sure where she was or where she was going, having bolted away from her pursuers like a frightened rabbit darted into a bush, her only thought being _escape._ But now, with a little black cat squirming in her position between Urd's arms and looking behind them both, giving the all clear that there were no demons in sight, Urd fought to calm herself, fighting down the fear that had so clouded her mind in a mist and clearing the way for a more rational thought once more.

The silver haired woman slowed around one of the taller skyscrapers, wheeling around the building several times as Stringfellow's pace lessened. Finally, the broom came to a halt in front of a window on one of the upper floors, allowing Urd a moment to catch her breath. And with a pant that eased into a breath, so too did the questions come, questions that unnerved her, questions that she had no answers for.

What had that voice been? Had it really been the knife she was now staring down at? Had it really wanted to slay that man's devil? Why had it called her 'Goetia' when she was a goddess?

What would have happened if she'd drawn his blood with it?

The thought made her shiver, and quickly Urd moved to store the weapon within her dress once more, the spell on its sheath concealing its presence from any and all who approached. The weapon quieted once more, the bronze woman sighed, closing her eyes and running her now-free hand through her hair. A grimace appeared on her face and her eyes opened in displeasure as a cool breeze chilled her exposed neck, and the Norn growled. "Damn it all."

Her hair was another thing she was going to have to deal with. She'd stopped cutting it when she'd first arrived in heaven and had met Belldandy. For Urd, her long hair had been another sign of her decision to become a divinity rather then a damned being. For her to cut it off like that...The goddess moved a dark hand back to filter through the ends of her hair, the strands irritating her neck from where they dangled above her shoulders.

And suddenly she was angry. Angry at the demons who'd attacked her, who'd threatened Skuld, angry at the confusing knife she now couldn't seem to keep off her person, angry at herself for _running_ like she had...

The woman rubbed her temples, wanting more then anything else then to just go home. "I feel like such a damned _coward_ right now." She muttered.

With a growl of frustration she shook her head. Now wasn't the time for self-pity.

A yowl drew her attention from her thoughts before they could further draw her into depression and Urd looked down at the cat between her arms, Welsper looking back with wide golden globes. "Didn't you hear me?" The cat snapped. "Where the hell are we? What are you doing running away from the guy? Why aren't you smearing his blood across the clouds right now?"

Urd sent the black creature a reproachful glare before looking around her, spreading her senses once more for any signs of demons. Nothing returned from her, yet it did little to ease her nerves. If anything, the woman's agitation increased, for if she couldn't sense her enemy it meant one of two things. Either she'd been successful in loosing Pisaca or _he'd_ grown successful in hiding his aura from her.

"I..." Urd trailed off even as she started with a response, a part of her asking herself the same questions Welsper had vocalized. What _was _she doing? Surely she could defeat one demon on her own, right? Why _was_ she running from Pisaca?"

The answers came even as the questions formed in her mind.

It was because she'd been spooked.

That damned knife had scared her out of her wits when it'd spoken to her, reigniting something deep within her mind that she'd forgotten, that she'd at one time_ wanted _to forget, and giving rise to panic as whatever it had been pulled at the edges of her consciousness. And so she had done the first thing that had come to her; she'd turned tail and run.

"I...I'm playing a fool." She muttered finally, leaning back with a sigh and allowing her head to tilt up to the sky. Nothing but a gentle blue lined with streaks of white met her gaze, yet she'd long since stopped trusting her eyes. Just because she didn't see anything didn't mean- "A big, paranoid fool at that."

The cat snorted at her words, Welsper's gaze not leaving the goddess towering above her. "Yes. Yes you are." The cat agreed, much to Urd's disdain. "And now that you've admitted to it, what are you going to do about it?"

What was she going to do about it? _Well that's easy._ A small part of her whispered in her mind. _We are going to find those bastards and we're going to show them a time the likes of which they'll not soon forget_. The voice was cruel, one she recognized as the more demonic aspect of her personality, one that had slowly made its presence known once more after her encounter with Vikoka, a voice that had fallen silent after her personalities had been split and only now re-emerging once more. _The daughter of the Daimakaicho does not run..._

And even as her mind went to abolish the thought, another part of her realized that the demon on her shoulder was right. She needed to get rid of Pisaca. Obviously she couldn't kill him; she wasn't a monster, after all. Sealing would be out of the question as well, not having the necessary recourse to conduct a the spell properly.

_So just pound his ass into the ground until he can't get up and walk again. Simple as that. A few bolts here, a bit of fire there, a few slices of the knife here and there, and he won't be much of anything, let alone a threat to Skuld or yourself._ Laughter from a source she couldn't see. _And you'll send a clear message to that bastard who seems so interested in you too. That you are not a source to be trifled with._

Urd grimaced at the thought, again hoping to silence the voice before its words could poison her ears further. "...Fine." She muttered. "No more running. If the only way I can get to Skuld is through this guy, than so be it." Her eyes narrowed as Stringfellow drifted higher into the sky, lifting Urd above the last remaining skyscrapers and revealing her from the maze of buildings she'd used as a shelter. Her magic came easily and eagerly at her call, sensing her purpose and more than ready to leap at her call. Violet bolts of magic danced up her hands and onto her arms, residual static causing her short hair to rise on end.

The goddess smiled at the familiar presence of her magic, revealing pearly white teeth that shown against her darker skin. Her heart thrumming in her ears once more, Urd straightened. It was time for Red to face her wolf. "Pisaca!" She shouted to the wind. "Come on out and show yourself! Or are you too scared to go up against a woman?" Urd snarled to the wind, her gaze staring straight ahead as though expecting him to suddenly appear before her, even as Welsper climbed up to her shoulder once more, ears twitching as the cat surveyed the surrounding area for their demon.

And sure enough the man did appear, plummeting from the clouds above, an eagle with his claws wide open for the pigeon.

Welsper was the one who saw him first, descending upon their heads, two knives that glowed a vicious red in either hand. "Urd, above us! He's right on top of us!" The cat yowled, staring into a bloodthirsty face that only grew more malicious the close Pisaca came.

Yet Urd failed to act, her gaze remaining steadfast in front of her as the Norn ignored Welsper's warning. Then the woman closed her eyes, and it was when Pisaca was less then five feet above them that a pair of wings suddenly surged from the woman's back, engulfing the demon in a mass of black and white feathers magicked in the heat of fire.

They scalded Pisaca as much as blinding him, and with a muffled howl he fought against the appendages, desperate to wound the woman even as his sleeves caught aflame and his flesh scalded. Yet for all his attacks, the man did little in the way of damage; the knives considered so dangerous slicing through little 'sides the primary feathers, far enough connected from the limbs themselves that he might as well have been cutting hair for all the damage it did.

Finally he got the idea to retreat, and covered in fluffs of black and white that clung painfully to his new burns, the demon departed a good distance from the woman. Urd turned Stringfellow to follow his path as the brown-haired demon flew back, patting at his flaming sleeves in the hopes of ending a fire that might leave him more than shirtless.

Screaming obscenities to the wind, Pisaca finally managed to end the flames that devoured his clothes, looking back as Urd with an expression as much smile as it was sneer. "Oh...you're a clever one, aren't you?" He asked, watching her with one emerald eye as he picked at the feathery down that remained firmly attached to his skin, small wafts of smoke rising from where the feathers continued to scald his flesh. He laughed. "I'd have never thought to cast a spell directly on my Other Half like that. You're a real crazy bitch, you know that? What if that spell had gone awry?" Another laugh, hoarse and grating on the ears. "You'd be a roasting vegetable if something had gone wrong."

Urd's expression remained impassive, and as she listened to Pisaca's words, so too did World of Elegance's wings retreat once more into her back. It _had _been a risk; something she was perfectly aware of, but that same feeling that had overcome her when she'd tossed Welsper to the metaphorical wolf that was Pisaca had peeked it's cunning little head up once more, and before she knew it, the goddess had been whispering spells into Elegance's ear, listening all the while for the tell tale breeze that was Pisaca descending down upon them.

And it had worked.

Her heart was still ramming in her chest from the experience and Urd could feel World of Elegance shuddering within her mind, but the spell had worked, and now that her angel's feathers covered the demon before her, there was no way he could sneak up on her without the goddess sensing him first.

It was time to turn the tables of this fight.

A bolt of electricity shot past Pisaca's ear, and the man's laughter came to an abrupt halt. Urd's grin was more snarl than smile, and without warning she charged him, legs wrapped tightly around Stringfellow as the bronze goddess trusted her own abilities on a broom to guide her without the need for her hands. For in one hand, dangerous violet sparks of electricity danced while the other was ignited in flame. Automatically, Pisaca backpedaled from the goddess, however the violet eyed woman was quick to close the distance, the demon incapable of out speeding Stringfellow.

At the last minute Urd angled her broom, and rather then charge into a head on collision, the goddess swept by the demon's side, bringing her hands together and melding the different magics together. The gathered power exploded outwards in a beam of deadly energy, and as the two entities passed one another, the Norn thrust the magic away from her, slicing into the man's side as though her magic were a sword.

Allowing Stringfellow's speed to carry her past Pisaca, Urd didn't even feel the tug of resistance that was the man's flesh as her magic bit into his body, and his screams were already fading as the broom carried the silver haired woman farther from her opponent. By the time her broom had slowed enough to allow her to turn, Pisaca was bent over in pain, howling as he clutched his injured side.

A smile tugged at the corner of Urd's lip, and as Stringfellow pulled her vertical, woman and broom somersaulted in the air, Welsper's shrieks in her ear and Urd's cackle on the wind, reaching the peak of her climb before diving down on her prey, brandishing the sword magic in her hands once more, it's tip aimed to puncture the man's head.

Hearing her, Pisaca looked up to her, alarm that grew to fear in his green eyes as the demon ducked into a barrel roll at the Norn's descent. The woman missed her intended target, skewering his shoulder rather than Pisaca's head and crashing into the man's body with a large smash.

And then they were stuck to each other, Pisaca's shoulder punctured by Urd's magic and Urd too lost in the heat of a battle to even think of releasing the spell. Screaming and flailing against her, Pisaca grabbed Stringfellow, jerking it violently to and fro and sending the group spiraling in a corkscrew to the ground.

Finally, at the last minute, Welsper's screams reached past Urd's unhearing ears and to the chaotic mind that dwelled within. "Urd you're going to kill us!"

It wasn't much. But it was enough, whatever bloodlust that had befallen the woman dispelling just enough for the goddess to see the ever-nearing ground. Violet eyes blinked, then focused away from Pisaca, and with a shriek of her own Urd released the grip on her magic in favor for Stringfellow. The magic gone, so too was Pisaca free, and as Urd grasped the broom handle once more, yanking up to avert an eminent disaster, so too did Pisaca's grasp shift from the broom to Urd's wrist, his expression a pained snarl that turned his face ugly as he fought to pull the Norn from her ride.

By now the group was flying a meager six feet off the ground with the broom rightened once more, and as they sped through the busy streets of Downtown Nekomi, the screams of its citizens and the shrieks of its cars followed them in a haunting melody of chaos, Stringfellow dipping and ducking and twisting and turning around cars and trucks and bikes and men, managing the impossible and avoiding them all with an ease only one of Urd's brooms seemed to hold.

And Urd could never have been more grateful for her sentient broom either; Pisaca was causing a very good distraction, and had it been the broom incapable of guiding itself, there was little doubt in Urd's mind that blood of some shape or form-be it their own or an innocent's-would have already been spilled.

"Let go of me you crazy bastard!" Urd snarled, a foot lashing out to strike the man over and over, trying to beat him off her wrist as the bronze woman fought to hold her grip on her broom. A foot smashed into his head, his injured shoulder, kicked into his stomach, yet the demon refused to release the Norn, bucking and lurching and tugging as he fought to fend off Urd's blows and fell her from her broom all at once, his howls of rage mingling with her shrieks and Welsper's yowls, creating a harmonious discord that sent all the city's denizens running.

_You dare?_ A voice hissed in Urd's mind. "_I'll skin you alive!"_ Only too late did Urd realize she'd spoke her thoughts aloud, already descending further to the black road, already increasing her speed to the point where Pisaca's feet dangled an inch from the ground, kicking and lurching as he fought to keep them away from the ground.

And then they were touching, the rubber of his shoes gliding on the surface and creating a soft, whispering _ssshhh_ as friction gathered at his feet. The demon yelped at the action, using a strength brought on by fear and adrenaline to hoist his feet up under his body, dangling from the broom with one hand still clutching the handle, one wrapped tightly around Urd's wrist and a shoulder that threatened to fall off as it buckled under Pisaca's bodyweight.

"You crazy fuck! What the hell are you doing?" Pisaca snarled up at Urd, his words laced with a fear that sang deliciously in the Norn's ears, eyes alight with horror as he fought more and more to keep himself aloft rather than pull his opponent off the broom. He looked behind him, to the sides, in front of him and down, before finally looking once more up to Urd. "Are you _trying_ to kill me?"

Urd smiled, drinking in the terror in his eyes, his voice, and finding herself growing drunk on it. The bronze woman then leaned down, bringing herself closer to him. "Oh come now." She purred. "You mean to tell me you're too weak a demon to survive a little crash? A little skin off the flesh, a couple of bruises from a car or two?" Urd threw back her head and cackled, and with it Welsper's fur stuck up, the sound unnerving and so _not Urd_ it was terrifying. "You mean to tell me the demons of the present are such weak creatures?" The next words came out a growl, and in that moment, Welsper knew something was wrong. "_A creature so weak doesn't _deserve_ to live..."_

With that, the Norn jerked downward once more, her free hand diving into Pisaca's brown hair and gripping his head. The man let out a cry that sounded almost pitiful in his panic, and slowly, a sadistic smile on her face, Urd shoved the man further down, gravity working in her favor and pulling the man to the black blur of the road beneath. With the hand that Pisaca clung to, Urd slowly dipped Stringfellow further down to the pavement, and once more Pisaca's feet touched the ground, the _sshh_ of rubber being eaten away by the road growing audible once more until something changed, and suddenly Pisaca's cries grew pained.

The demon had slipped, lost his footing on the speeding asphalt and was being _dragged _behind on Urd's broom, his pants quickly wearing thing from the friction and the speed until a thin red streak began to follow behind the demon like a tail. The only thing keeping the demon from the cars behind him and to either sides being his grasp on Urd's wrist,which even as Welsper watched, shuddered and twitched with a grip loosing its strength.

"Urd! That's enough! He'll leave us alone, so stop it already! Don't do this!" Welsper screamed in Urd's ear, claws digging deep into her shoulder as she desperately fought to reason with the goddess.

Yet Urd continued to ignore the cursed cat, her smile spreading wider as she further leaned Stringfellow downwards, bringing more of Pisaca's body in contact with the ground and thickening the trail of blood that followed behind them. The demon's howls grew louder and more pronounce, and Welsper's ears fell back, finally coming to the realization that wherever _her_ Urd had gone, she wasn't going to come back with words alone.

No...something more drastic was required.

And so it was that with a yowl, Welsper clamped her jaws down on Urd's ear, biting down hard enough to puncture the flesh and draw blood. Urd's howl was maddening, and as she screamed Blue Lance erupted from Welsper's back, wings spreading open as the devil grabbed hold of the broom handle, dragging Stringfellow up with all her might and lifting the group out of the streets and over the buildings, refusing to relinquish her grasp until they were high within the clouds.

By now Urd had released her grip on Pisaca's head in favor of the cat who seemed content to drill new piercings into her ear, wrapping a hand around the growling animal's body and yanking it from her head. Urd's grip around her body a vice, Welsper shrieked in pain, jaws releasing the ear that had become its prisoner in favor of the hand that felt as though it was trying to crush her spine. With it, Blue Lance shrieked in a phantom's pain, her grasp around Stringfellow disappearing as the devil vanished back into Welsper.

The cat continued its assault on Urd's hand regardless, hissing and spitting, biting and clawing, hind legs bounding up kick at the woman's wrist. "Urd! Snap out of it!" Welsper yowled in-between bites, even as the broom began a slow descent once more. "Please! You don't want Belldandy to see this! You don't want to destroy one of the few stable relations with Heaven you have!"

_Those_ words seemed to have an affect on Urd as something slid across her expression and the goddess paused in her descent, staring at Welsper long and hard as though contemplating the cursed demon's words. Something tugged weakly at her foot and Urd's gaze traveled down to where Pisaca clung his expression little more then a grimace of pain as he fought to stay conscious, fought to keep his grip on her, a grip that was simultaneously his lifeline as much as his noose. Blood trickled down ruined shoes to drip down to the city below, and the Norn could see the man trembling in his effort to keep his hold on her.

The hand Pisaca clung to suddenly ignited in electricity, and the violet bolts darted down onto Pisaca's form, hungrily devouring the injured man as the demon screamed and writhed, releasing his grip on Urd's wrist only to fine the roles reversed, Urd's hand latched around _his_ wrist and continuing to shoot bolts down his body. The man squirmed and writhed in her grasp until the additional pain, in combination with his wounds, grew too much for him and Pisaca passed out.

Welsper stilled at the assault, golden eyes wide as she watched the man's grip on Urd's foot fall, leaving nothing but Urd's hand keeping the demon from a painful fate with the city below. "Urd, please don't. _Please_ don't. Think of the doublet system, think of the consequences, think of your _sisters_." Ears laid slick against her hair, Welsper's voice was little more then a mew, one Urd never even bothered glancing at.

Than the goddess deposited Welsper on her shoulder, free hand instantly reaching for Pisaca and hoisting the demon's dead weight onto Stringfellow's handle with a grunt.

"I know." Was her only response.

* * *

They landed on a rooftop.

Urd shoved Pisaca off Stringfellow, and the man hit the ground in an undignified _thump_. She followed after him, allowing Stringfellow to lower her to where the Norn's feet touched the gravel before growing dormant with a sigh. Welsper leaped off the silver haired woman's shoulder as Urd dismounted, and as the cat approached the unconscious demon, nose twitching, Urd shoved the demon onto his back with a foot.

The demon rolled with all the limpness of a corpse, and it was then that both cat and goddess saw the true extent of the damage placed upon Pisaca's body. The man's face was pallid and drenched in sweat, on cheek covered in the gravel of the rooftop from where he'd fallen from Stringfellow. Burns from electricity and fire covered his exposed flesh, and one shoulder held a nasty black hole from where Urd had punctured him, the wound scorched and sealed from her attack before even gaining the chance to allow the man to bleed. Another wound was on the man's left side, a thick, black cut that held the same consistency to the hole in the man's shoulder, and gravel clung excessively to the area from where shredded and burned threads of his shirt wove into the massive burn that sealed his wound.

He was no longer bleeding, at least. Urd's final attack had seared the open wounds that had been inflicted from Pisaca's drag across the street pavement. Yet it hardly made the wounds any less bearable to look at, sneakers and socks shredded and worn away and red from where the edges had finally parted and left flesh exposed to a speeding road.

The front of his pants were in much a similar condition, and as Urd stared down at him, the bronze woman abruptly turned away, dropping Stringfellow to the ground and moving to an air conditioning vent, disappearing behind it. As Welsper made move to follow, the cat paused as the sound of retching reached her ears.

The feline allowed the Norn her privacy until the sounds of heaves came to an end, and then the demon approached, turning and finding Urd crouching, curled into a tight ball on her feet, elbows propped upon her knees as she buried her face in her arms and hands in her hair. The cat mewed to her, but Urd refused to respond, and so Welsper drew closer. The woman was pale. And as Welsper moved to lean her body against one of Urd's legs, the cat could feel the goddess trembling.

For the first time since receiving her punishment at the hands of the Daimakaicho, Welsper wished her form was human. Wished for the arms with which to wrap around the goddess she leaned up against, the words that came so easily to the divine, to mortals, for which she could comfort the woman at her side. Yet Welsper had neither. She was a demon, she was a cat, and now she was female. Anything that could have been done, could have been said, would mean nothing to the goddess before her, brushed off as little more then the pity rather than the intended comfort they were.

She must be getting soft.

And so the demon did what little she could do without fear of reprimand, rubbing against the goddess, the future Daimakaicho with a loud purr, the rumble so loud and so deep it caused her entire body to vibrate with it.

They stayed that was for a small eternity, and when Urd finally lifted her head enough to look down at Welsper, the cat replied with the only words she could think of that might ease Urd's mind.

"Come. Let's get Skuld and go home."

* * *

They watched as the goddess flew off, a cat on her shoulder as she headed south, leaving behind the demon that had been her opponent.

And so they approached, slowly and silently, eyes scanning the horizon for any sign of the goddess, just in case she decided to return once more.

On the rooftop, they found their quarry, unconscious and injured and half-dead. As they drew near, one withdrew a pouch from a pocket, tossing it to a comrade. The person crouched beside the demon, unraveling the string sealing the pouch and opening it, brining a free hand to cover a nose as the person stuck the pouch of smelling salts under the demon's face.

The affects were instantaneous, the man coughing and gagging as the noxious perfume wafted to his senses. The one crouching quickly re-wrapped the little pouch, tossing it once more to its owner before moving to hover above Pisaca's face. The others drew near to watch, and as Pisaca's eyes flew open...

Urd was crouched over him, the sun above her head bathing her face in shadow. But even that wasn't enough to hide the vicious glint in her eyes, and as emerald met amethyst, a smile spread across her face. "Good morning, Sunshine." She purred.

And that was when he saw the others, the ones who hovered above _her_. And as he did Pisaca's eyes widened, trying to scamper away and finding his strength wanting, his shoulder flaring up in pain and causing the man to gasp and fall to his back once more.

Urd giggled, a hand moving to cub his cheek as a finger traced patterns to his lips. "Now, now, what's the rush, Love?" She cooed. "I was going to invite you back to my place. Your buddy's already there waiting for us. We were going to have a little fun together." The finger moved to trail down Pisaca's neck. "Just you, me, your buddy..." The finger traveled to the hole in his shoulder and traced the perimeter of the wound, causing Pisaca to flinch away with a hiss of pain. "...and the boys..." with that, Urd plunged her finger into Pisaca's wound, breaking away the crusted scab and drawing fresh blood.

Pisaca howled, his shoulder on fire once more as he fought to push Urd away. "Now, how about you tell me what it is you got planned for tonight, Hon?" Urd asked as the howls died down. "Your buddy said you've got plans with some good friends of yours for the evening, and since we don't want to _intrude_, we want to make sure our plans don't..._interrupt_ yours."

The faces of the men above her grew closer, and as they did, Urd's final words pierced Pisaca's mind.

"Tell us what Vikoka is planning, Pisaca."

And then, like wolves to a kill, they descended upon him, leaving nothing but speckles of blood in their wake.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman:_ Yeah...I was going through a bad week when I wrote the scene with Urd and Pisaca. Looking back now, I kind of feel bad for the guy. I hadn't meant to be _that_ mean to him...Anyways, this chapter did not come out as how my mind had planned it a year ago. I'm pretty sure someone was supposed to die. Oh well. I still enjoyed writing this one.

Also, I think I accidentally made Lind a pervert. Don't know how or why.


	19. The Approaching Storm

Angel Biter Chapter 19

Disclaimer: I own nothing

* * *

It was surprisingly easy to relocate Skuld without a demon on their tail.

Almost ridiculously so.

Yet there they were; two children guided by a magic that had not been apparent when Urd had seen them last, the wings of an angel granting them a speed no bike could achieve and propelling them away from the city, into the more rural district that sat at the base of the mountains holding the shrine they called home.

The sight eased the silver-haired woman's heart, to see with her own eyes that there were no demons that had snatched the youth away, that no blood had been drawn as she had to Pisaca. Nothing but her youngest sibling and the boy that was the child's companion.

Gently the goddess descended, Stringfellow drifting lightly down to trail beside the bike and easily keeping pace with the children it bore. As one both children looked to her and two surprised shouts graced her ears. The woman didn't contain the laughter the reaction brought forth, and as a pair of violet eyes met a pair of darker black, Urd smiled, an honest-to-goodness smile that almost felt foreign on her face.

And even as Sentaro swerved his bike away from the elder Norn, so too did Skuld leap to her sister, a sound that was part sob and part laugh escaping her throat as she fell into Urd's waiting arms. They embraced, balanced precariously on a broom that hovered several feet off the ground, exchanging no words nor expecting any in turn, simply holding each other and allowing the tears to fall and the sobs to come, releasing the fear, the relief, the joy at seeing one another once more, safe from the ones that had so threatened them in the not-so-distant past.

A small eternity spanning only several minutes passed before the siblings calmed enough to separate from one another. A whisper of a newly awakened magic, a gentle touch of shock over a new appearance, and a simple touching of the brow against one another that spoke more then words alone could have ever screamed to the heavens.

Sentaro stood off to one side, a silent observer that cautiously approached as Stringfellow descended further, allowing both the girls to manage their way to the ground without difficulty. When Skuld turned to meet his gaze, he caught sight of a pair of dark eyes that had grown red and puffy with tears, and with a watery smile the young Norn blinked, rubbing away what remaining tears fell down her cheeks. "Heh, see what I mean Sentaro?" She sniffed. "Urd is always such an idiot, always trying to scare me and stuff." Her words came out in a voice that trembled, and just as it looked as though the youth were about to break out into tears once more, a dark hand moved to rest on her head.

"And it seems you're still nothing but a kid, Skuld." Urd's voice rose in a light laugh empty of it's usual confidence, and the hand upon Skuld's head moved to gently squeeze the girl's shoulder. Her gaze than moved from Skuld to Sentaro, and her smile was tired and wane, little more than a thin line across the darker woman's mouth.

"Let's go home."

* * *

It was sunset by the time Urd and Skuld returned to the shrine.

Sentaro had protested when they'd guided him back to his house, proclaiming his wish to face the demons after Skuld, after Urd, and how he was not afraid and to let him show his worth to them. Urd had knocked each attempt to stay with the two Norns down as gently as she could, walking him up to the door of his house, the boy fighting against her up to the point where the door opened and she could hand him over to his parents, a couple who looked to have grown more than a little anxious at his extended stay with his friend without any contact of his whereabouts.

There'd been no sign of Banpei or Sigel either.

Skuld had been quite persistent in the two of them finding the 'bots before returning to the shrine and after several minutes of bickering Urd had finally given in, settling Skuld in front of her on Stringfellow and traveling back to where it was Skuld had last scene her creations. The area had become a battlefield when they'd arrived, with buildings that had caved in standing haphazardly with impact crater streets and bullet-ridden sidewalks. Yet there had been nothing to show that it had been caused by the robot and the android. Nothing but a few nuts and bolts, any of which could have just as easily come from any one of the numerous vehicles that had been destroyed in the battle, from any of the buildings that stood on the verge of collapse.

Yet Skuld seemed to know, sifting through the wreckage and gathering a nut here, a strip of wire there, and pocketing them on her person before returning to Urd's side once more.

The forlorn expression that haunted the child's eyes caused a lump to rise in Urd's throat that refused to fade.

They'd departed the scene in silence, the wail of sirens trailing behind them in a mournful howl.

And now they'd returned home once more, the light from within the shrine seeming to hold an almost peaceful sense to it that felt at odds with the events of the day. In the distance, a raven croaked a welcome to the oncoming darkness of night, and as the sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains of their shrine the two goddesses moved into the courtyard.

Here Urd paused, shrugging Welsper off her shoulder and moving to grab Skuld's shoulder, halting the dark-haired youth from going any further. As Skuld looked up, a protest on her lips, Urd waved her to silence, ignoring as best she could the look of despair that dawned on the girl's features in favor of directing her attention out into the surrounding darkness, edging towards the light of shrine with one arm wrapped firmly around Skuld's shoulder's and the other digging into her blouse and withdrawing her blade.

Had she been more herself, Urd would have questioned why it was she favored a weapon she could barely wield none-too-gracefully over her natural affinity with magic, yet the experience of the day shushed such thoughts, instead thinking of only the present and the potential predator the elder Norn could almost _smell_ on the wind, waiting and watching for her to-

Welsper's yowl from the shadows beyond proved her only warning as something came at the two Norn's from the darkness. Acting more on instinct than rational, Urd quickly shoved Skuld to the side, using all the strength in her arms to send the youth tumbling to the ground. The action came none-too-soon either, as whatever hunter that had tickled the back of Urd's mind sprang upon the woman, causing the goddess to cry out as she was shoved forward.

Stumbling, the goddess looked behind her to the attacker, finding little more than a white blur that vanished before Urd had a chance to identify it. Biting back a curse, the bronze woman grew more alert, twisting and turning as violet eyes sought out the direction from which her foe might strike again.

A shout from Skuld, and immediately Urd swept her blade up and above her head, a sharp _clang_ meeting her ears and vibrating through the bones of her arm so deeply that momentarily the limb went numb. The goddess looked up, finding a pair of dark-blue eyes glaring down at her from beneath dark blue bangs. A spear, it's metal head elegantly crafted and connected to a rune-inscribed pole, grated against the Angel Biter, the two metals grinding against each other and creating a hollow _screech_ as Herja bore down on the Norn.

The silver-haired goddess grit her teeth. "Urd Bolt!" She snarled, the night sky illuminating as the lightning met her call, descending from the heavens and striking Herja before the Valkyrie could think of a counter. A scream echoed with a clap of thunder, and Herja lost the advantage of above, her magic failing the braided woman as gravity pulled her to the ground.

Yet the Valkyrie seemed far from done, landing much like a cat on hands and feet, only to thrust her spear out and crashing into Urd's legs, sweeping the woman off her feet and into an undignified sprawl on the ground. Urd hit the earth with a pained grunt, scrambling to rise only to freeze as something pointed and cold pressed into her throat. "Greed and anger..." Herja sang softly, her voice barely above a whisper as she leered down at Urd, eyes wild and an excited grin on her face. "... Made us younger..." The spearhead pressed a little more into Urd's throat, causing the Norn to lean back until Herja had her almost laying on the ground. "...Couldn't save us when the tower fell..."

Teeth bared in anger, Urd snarled an obscurity at the Valkyrie, sparks dancing dangerously at fingers that dug furrows in the earth as violet eyes darted this way and that, seeking an opportunity she could use to her advantage. And sure enough, it presented itself, yet not in any form Urd would have ever expected to see. Violet focused on blue once more, narrowed, and slowly Urd raised her hands, her weapon cast somewhere off to the side and the magic in her system seeping into nothing in the ground. "Fine, you win." The bronze woman growled.

Seeing the fight die in her opponent, Herja's stance relaxed slightly, and the woman pulled her spear a small distance from Urd's throat.

It was the opportunity Urd had been waiting for, as something alien flickered in her expression and her eyes left Herja in favor of something behind the blue-haired woman. Perhaps catching it, perhaps just years of honed instincts, Herja tensed before bolting to one side, dropping into a roll and taking her spear with her as a narrow beam of light pierced through the area the woman had been standing moments before.

Quickly scurrying to her feet with the opportunity presented to her, Urd looked to the light's source, finding Skuld on the other end, a grimace of fear on her face as she fought to steady a gun of her own making with hands that shook. "Don't you dare count me out!" The child snapped. "If you think I'm just going to stand around and do nothing while you threaten Urd, then you're dead wrong!" One eye squeezed shut, the girl aimed and fired once more, missing Herja's shoulder by inches. The beam instead struck a tree behind the braided woman, and with it's strike an explosion followed, showering the warrior with blackened wood chards and leaving behind an impact crater that was marred a deep and ugly black on the trunk's bark.

Yet Herja showed no outwards sign of surprise such as the expression that adorned Urd's face, perhaps not having the time to feel the emotion in a world that required the Valkyrie to act in battle and where such emotions were liable to endanger her life. On her feet once more, the warrior charged at Skuld, zigzagging towards the young Norn as Skuld panicked, releasing a shout and firing blindly at the older woman.

The shots went wild, none coming even close to striking the woman as Herja bore down on the youth, seeing no more a girl barely in her teens and only a possible threat in her place. The woman leaped at the youth with a silence that was more terrifying than any war cry could ever compare to, only to be struck in the side as the Valkyrie reached the highpoint of her jump, knocked out of the air by a bolt of violet lightning that sent Herja spinning.

"Oh no you don't!" Urd snarled, racing towards Skuld and Herja even as the braided warrior rolled once more to her feet, where the spear-barer dropped into a defensive pose, waiting for the next upcoming attack.

Unfortunately neither woman were given the opportunity to try their luck against one another as yet another combatant joined the fray. It was a scream from Skuld that caused the combatants to cause, two pairs of eyes diverting to the source and finding Eir, her pink hair a bright beacon in the darkness, holding on to a Skuld that had grown dangerously still.

The child's eyes were wide in fear, looking up at the taller woman as far as her peripheral vision would allow. The weapon the young Norn had once possessed lay on the ground at her feet, one hand having moved towards her neck while the other rested at her breast, curled into a tight fist of either pain or fear, Urd couldn't tell which.

Yet even in what little light remained, Urd could see the shine of wire reflected off Eir's hands.

"Good. I have both your attention now." In the light of the courtyard, Eir's eyes seemed to glow yellow as she looked from one woman to the next. "The voices were right. This _did _get you both to stop fighting. I don't know why I didn't listen to them sooner." Something that might have been a smile flashed across her face.

It reminded Urd of a shark's smile.

Slowly, Herja rose from the defensive stance she'd fallen into, resting her spear on the ground before rising to her full height, hands raised in a gesture of peace as the Valkyrie forgot her opponent in favor of the pink-haired youth. "Eir..." The woman's voice was a whisper, one that seemed unnaturally loud in the tense silence that had befallen the crowd. "...Let the girl go. You know we don't take child hostages."

Eyes that couldn't seem to decide whether they were pink or golden darted from Herja to the Norn that was her opponent and Urd tensed reflexively, the magic on her person dissipating into the air immediately as the bronze woman caught sight of something alien flicker in the oddly-hued eyes. "You're Urd, aren't you?" She asked, ignoring her comrades orders in favor of Urd. "Herja and I have been searching all day for you." The younger Valkyrie examined the older Norn and pink brows furrowed together in confusion. "That's strange...all the pictures we've seen of you showed you with longer hair. When did you cut it?"

At the mention of her hair, Urd had to command herself not to run a hand through the short wisps, some deep underlaying instinct holding her still for fear of Eir's reaction should the Norn make any sudden moves. The goddess grimaced. "I ran into a demon who had a fetish for long hair." She said surprised to hear the calm in her voice that all but contradicted the rapid beat of her heart.. "So I decided I needed a haircut."

Eir tilted her head to one side in curiosity, and then her eyes darted to one side, growing distant as though listening to something. A moment of tense silence, and then the eyes focused on Urd once more. "What was the demon's name?"

The question caught Urd off guard, and a quick glance to her prior opponent showed much the same confused expression on Herja's face. Valkyries didn't ask for the names of demons. A demon was a demon. If it lived, it was a threat and therefore needed to be extinguished. Names meant nothing to the warriors who saw the damned-kin as creatures beneath them, little more than beasts to be eliminated.

The captor frowned at Urd's hesitation, a twitch of the hand and a soft gag acting as a reminder of the current circumstances. Immediately Urd moved towards her younger sister. "Pisaca! His name was Pisaca! Now stop already!"

Only the barest signs of relaxation on Skuld's face showed that Eir had eased her grip around the young Norn's throat, if only minutely. A small bit of hope flared up at the act and before Eir could change her mind on the move, Urd came to a halt once more. "Listen." She said. "Let Skuld go. You want demons? I've run into a plethora of demons this past week and I can tell you all about them if you want me to. But you have to let Skuld go." The tan woman licked lips that suddenly felt too dry, her heart an echoing beat in her ear that sounded like the thundering beats of a galloping horse racing to an end as an idea nudged gently at her mind.

"Whatever you want me to tell you." She said. Now she could hear World of Elegance in her mind, the angel stirring as Urd's thoughts became known to it and a wave of anxiety striking the woman as she felt a phantom emotion travel through the link the two shared. _It will work._ She thought, though be it to reassure herself or her angel, Urd could not say. "Just tell me." _It will work because..." _The woman folded her arms behind her back, one hand slipping into the sleeve of it's sibling and drawing the Angel Biter from where Urd had stowed it at the last minute. "Because if we can't work this out..." Faster than the eye could see, the Norn whipped the blade out once more, yet rather then rush the captor of her sister, to throw the knife in a vain attempt to free her sibling, or even to attack Herja in an effort to even the odds, Urd brought the blade to her throat, pressing the sharp edge gently to her throat.

"...Then I'll slit my throat right here and now."

Skuld's eyes widened at the announcement, her mouth parting in a protest that came out in a croak. Herja gaped at the older Norn. Eir stared.

A long moment of silence passed before Eir spoke once more. The young woman narrowed her eyes. "...don't think a simple threat like that will work." She said, voice a low growl in the silence of the courtyard. "You know as well as I that it takes more than a slit throat to kill a god, even a cur like you."

Urd bristled at the insult, lips peeling back in a snarl. "Who said I was trying to kill myself?" She asked. "I'm no good to anyone, friend or enemy, if I'm dead." The snarl spread into a vicious smile. "But what I _can _do is slit my vocal cords." She pressed the knife a little harder against her flesh, feeling the familiar magic that resided within the old blade reaching out tentatively across her skin, as though asking what it was she was trying to do. "After all, what good is a goddess that can't sing for the heavens?"

_Please let this work..._

"In the ruins of days gone by..." It was Herja who responded to her, singing once more in a voice that was almost mournful in it's haunting melody. "A young affection, a velvet sky..." The woman's attention was wholly focused on her comrade, and though with her back turned to Urd the older Norn missed the flashing of gold, Skuld did not. "A slave to greed..."

The song lyrics meant nothing to Skuld. Perhaps they weren't supposed to. Yet they seemed to hold some hidden meaning to Eir, as suddenly the youth found the tightness around her throat vanish, Eir moving away from the child with a timidness Skuld could almost _feel _it was so strong. "H-herja..." The woman sent her lighter companion a strong look. The younger Valkyrie shrunk away from it before bowing her head in shame. "Ah...right..." The words were little more then a fading murmur as Eir faded into the darkness of the trees, retreating to some whereabouts perhaps only Herja knew of. The younger Valkyrie properly scolded and departed, Herja hummed some part of her song once more before grabbing hold of one of Skuld's arms.

The grip was strong enough to almost hurt, yet the girl's wince went ignored as the Valkyrie redirected her attention back to Urd, still posed and ready to silence her own voice. A raised eyebrow and the braided woman slowly made her way to the Norn, a smile that showed more relief than victory on her face as Urd, in turn, slowly lowered the blade.

The duo stopped five feet away from the darker goddess, Herja's grip on Skuld easing to the point of release as Urd sheathed the knife. A small hesitation from Skuld in the form of no small amount of distrust, and then the girl was at her sibling's side once more, arms wrapped around Urd's torso in an embrace and a muffled 'idiot' escaping her throat. The bronze woman wrapped an arm around the girl's shoulders, yet her attention remained focused on Herja. "...Why did you help us?"

A small shake of the head was Herja's response. "I do not feel regret anymore..." She sang, her eyes looking past Urd and to the rooftop of the shrine. "...I sense a presence of birds..." After a brief moment of hesitation, Urd followed the woman's gaze to the sky, meeting the beady red eyes of a crow. The bird leered down at her, not alone but surrounded by a murder of its kin. One after another, all lined against the elongated slope and painting the rooftop black with their dark feathers.

One of the birds screamed, and as one they took to the air, croaking and screaming in a living black cloud of feathers and beaks and claws, departing the shrine for favor of the air and disappearing over the horizon.

All but one, who continued to stare down at the trio, it's crimson eyes thoughtful and intelligent. "Badb Catha..." Urd murmured, the name unbidden to her lips. _And that was why it worked, too._ She thought._ Because there is one among them already who has done such a deed, for reasons not even the Almighty knows..._

Herja was heading into the shrine now, not even pausing to look back to see if the other two Norn's were following.

She didn't need to.

Not with Badb Catha watching them.

The crimson gaze of the crow never left Urd's own, and almost as if she'd known the song by heart, Urd found herself singing the remaining portion of lyrics from Herja's song. "...I sense a presence of birds..." The Mad Crow broke eye contact first, leaping off the rooftop and into the air, a silent sentinel as it glided around the shrine. "...Encircling me..." The entrance to the shrine was open as Herja entered, and beyond the warrior Urd saw the true Mad Crow, not the familiar derived of magic drifting in the air above but the woman named after it, Keiichi at her side with a look she couldn't quite identify. "...And I am gone..."

A brief moment of hesitation even as Skuld ran from her side and into the safety of their home.

"...Forever gone..."

* * *

And then she entered as well.

"What do you_ mean_ Belldandy's been poisoned?"

The words came out slowly and carefully, Urd's voice low and holding a dangerous edge to it that put more than one person on edge. Badb Catha had guided the two remaining Norns into the tea room, Keiichi following behind her in a tense silence and the braided Herja bringing up the rear. Between the spear-wielder and the mechanic a story was formed of the events that had happened since the return to the shrine, the tale switching perspectives repeatedly as Herja stole certain scenes from the past, small significant pieces that held information Keiichi thought would be important to know.

Information the Valkyrie seemed to hold no desire to have Urd, for it could only be Urd with what his ears were hearing, to know. Why had they come? To track down the presence of a rouge magic. No mention of _who_ they had come to investigate the act. The demon Mara had gone mad and Belldandy had stopped her with one of Urd's potions. No mention of suspects. No mention of other demons. And when he chose to speak above Herja, to inform Urd of further events she needed to know, the man would find his eyes staring at Badb Catha, and his throat would go strangely tight, his voice no more as her red eyes burrowed into his.

"And you didn't help her!" Skuld's voice rose into something that couldn't seem to decide whether it was a shriek or whimper, breaking Keiichi from his spell and rising Urd from her own thoughts. And yet despite herself, Urd found herself in something of an agreement with the younger girl. After a day of one too many close calls, coming home to find the one person who _should _be safe in more trouble than anyone else was not helping Urd's already nerve-wracked and tired mind.

Badb Catha sent the youth a look that instantly silenced Skuld, and with her silence, Keiichi spoke once more. "Skuld, there was nothing we could do." The man sounded drained, tired beyond imagination, hollow even. Despite her own misgivings on the situation, Urd couldn't help but worry about the ordeal he and Belldandy had gone through that had led the mechanic to his current status. "Herja only has a small bit of medical training-not enough for something like this, so they tell me. No one else knows anything when it comes to potions, so all we could do was..."

The man's gaze drifted to meet Urd's own, and the goddess winced at the emotion she saw within them. Hadn't she been trying to prevent an incident just like this from happening? _Damn you Vikoka._ The woman steeled herself, her hands forming into tight fists as she grit her teeth before rising. "Than what are we sitting here waiting for?" She demanded. "My sister needs help and you're saying I'm the only one who can help her. Let's go then."

The woman made for the door, Badb Catha rising with her even as the lead Valkyrie gestured for the already following Herja to sit. When Urd's hand grasped the slide of the door that would allow her to exit, she felt something else grasp her free wrist, turning and finding Badb Catha at it's source. "What are y-" Her inquiry rose into a yelp as the Mad Crow's hand suddenly erupted into fire, a sudden burst of pain erupting from the bronze woman's wrist.

The goddess wrenched her hand out of the opposing woman's hand, cradling the wounded limb against her chest. "What in the Almighty's name was that for?" She snarled, gently rubbing the burned flesh and finding not the heat of flame her body had absorbed but rather the feel of cool metal against her opposing palm. Alarmed, Urd looked down, finding a thin metal band wrapped around her wrist, an alien sheen reflecting runes in the artificial light of the tea room speaking of seals and limiters.

It wasn't a bangle like so many seals that covered her arms under the 'guise of jewelry, no...this one was too tight, conforming to the length and shape of her wrist, the metal so thin that Urd could scarcely distinguish where it was the flesh separated from the metal when she ran her thumb across it. A  
metal band that reminded her more of a cuff than a bracelet. One that felt as though it had been seared into her flesh.

"Second-class Goddess Urd." Herja's voice rose once more. "Under VC 12-3046.5 you have come under suspect of the practice of Goetia craft. As such, your affinities with magic will be bound until ample proof has been gathered either for or against you."

Urd's eyes widened, and all too quickly she became aware of the light touch of feathers against her cheeks, of the metal made warm by her body stowed away on her person, and suddenly Urd was afraid. Yet the woman hid it as best she could, wide, violet eyes narrowing as the woman turned away, her now-branded hand falling away from her chest and to her side, where it clenched in an angry fist. And amidst the oncoming tide of chaos; Keiichi's protests, Skuld's outbursts, and Herja's voice rising above them all, Urd turned away.

"I don't have time for this."

With that she was gone, her heart heavy with fears from too many sources and her mind desperately scrambling to focus on one thought and one thought alone, and that was of a sick sibling, poisoned by a potion of her own design.

And bound as she was, a goddess with no magic and Valkyries in her territory, the Mad Crow let her, watching her depart with inquisitive ruby eyes.

Eyes that flashed a raging gold before settling to red once more.

* * *

Belldandy's world was a haze of half-dreams and hallucinations.

She was in Keiichi's arms. That much she remembered.

Yet she remembered other incidents as well, dream-memories of Marller and herself, for Marller only allowed her closest friends and family to call her Marller, sitting together on an open plain. The grass was a mixture of Christmas coded reds and greens and the sky above their heads were sunset violets and blues. A sun as violent as it was gentle slowly descended in front of them, and as Belldandy looked to her companion, she saw not the demon locked away in a make-shift shrine of a Valkyrie's making but something else entirely.

It was still Marller, she could recall-a human with blonde hair and red eyes-yet Belldandy saw more. A muzzle over a mouth, claws and fangs, fur and flesh. And she watched it shift, shift from beast to woman once more, this one dressed in a vibrant sari of reds and yellows, skin a dark tan and hair a deep black. This one bore four arms, each holding a different weapon, a necklace of fangs and claws and talons and teeth resting around her neck.

The goddess rubbed her eyes. "Please...could you choose a form and stay with it? My eyes burn trying to distinguish you from your other selves."

The demon gave Belldandy a wane smile filled with needle teeth, and one pair of arms went behind her head, weapons and all whilst the other pair leaned behind her, supporting the demon up as she leaned back on them. "Belldandy" Her voice came out as an echo, a growl, and from within her mind all at once. "We're in a fusion of mindscapes. I take on the appearance of whatever your mind wants to see."

The goddess winced but nodded, deciding she preferred the Marller who looked the most human of the bunch and watching as a pair of arms disintegrated, fur receded and a muzzle disappeared. Teeth lost the edge and weapons and claws dissolved into nothing once more. Marller, blonde haired and red eyed, the only fangs being her elongated canines, rested at her side once more, and the Norn released a breath she'd not known she was holding.

Beside her, a corner of Marller's mouth curved upwards in amusement. "Better?" At the younger woman nod, the demon snorted before turning her attention back to the sunset.

For a time the duo sat in silence, simply observing a sunset that displayed a mixture of two perspectives; the violence of Niflheim's denizens and gentleness of Heaven's residents. And than Belldandy spoke once more, breaking the peaceful silence with a question. "Why am I here?"

The blonde shrugged. "Can't say for sure." She said. "Could be that we're both unconscious, and me, being the type that wanders the subconscious, chose to link our minds to communicate. Could be an unexpected side effect of that potion you gave me formed simply in the _way_ you decided to feed it to me." The demon sent Belldandy a writhing glare at that and the Norn felt herself blush self-consciously."

"Don't be angry with me for that. It was the only manner I could think of that would actually work, and it did, didn't it? You're body is still that of the third-dimensional demon you choose to show the mortal plane, is it not? And you're not on the receiving end of a Valkyrie's pike either after that little display of yours."

This time Marller growled, a long, low rumble that left Belldandy little doubt as to her companion's origins. "And because of that, you chose to poison yourself with no small manner of ingredients that would kill even the most immune of gods."

The anger in her words, in her voice, caught Belldandy off-guard, causing the woman to turn her full attention on the blonde. "Marller?"

The woman shook her head, sending blonde hair tumbling across her face with a dismissive snort. "Idiot. You're no good to anyone if you're dead. That stunt you pulled was something _Urd _was supposed to pull, not you. You're the one with common sense, remember?" A soft chuckle accompanied it. "Guess that bull-headedness of Urd's came from her father rather than the Daimakaicho. Who'd have thought."

For her sake, Belldandy had the nerve to look insulted, and the brunette narrowed her eyes at her companion in irritation. "Marller, I hope that you didn't invite me here just to scold and insult me."

The smirk Marller wore on her face faded at that, and the demon's expression grew solemn. "You're right." She admitted. "As fun as it is teasing you, I'm not here for that and neither are you." The blonde adjusted herself shifting to sit cross-legged and turning her gaze to the sky once more. "A storm's coming." She said. "And we're all about to get caught in it's folds."

"A storm?"

The fanged woman nodded. "Yep. The Daimakaicho can sense it, rumbling over the horizon. And as her servants, so too can we smell it on the breeze, taste in on the wind." Again, Marller turned to stare at the Norn and ruby caught and held sapphire. "I close my eyes and I see its flash, Belldandy. And when I do it leaves an imprint, one in the shape of someone we both know very well."

The demon looked away, sucking in a deep breath and releasing it in a hiss. "That storm is fast approaching, Belldandy. And when it gets here, Urd is going to need all the support she can get. She's going to need friends and she's going to need family-people who know her, people who support her, people who will trust her, even in the wake of madness. The question is..."

The demon's head turned just enough to regard the Norn from the corner of one red eye. "...Will you be one of them?"

Belldandy opened her mouth to respond, to say of _course _she would stand by her sister's side, was Marller a fool? Before pausing, thought on the question, and closed her mouth once more. A long moment of silence followed the act, and when the Norn finally spoke again, it was with a question of her own rather than an answer.

"Who are you?"

A golden brow rose in amusement and the demon scoffed. "You know who I am, Bell. Stop acting a fool."

Yet still Belldandy frowned, slowly shaking her head as she responded. "No...no I think not." She said. "I know Marller. I know her very well. And I know _you _are not her." The younger woman hesitated, observing her companion for a long moment before continuing when it became apparent the fanged demon was waiting for her to continue. "Marller...I have seen but one of her avatars before...Yet you revealed two to me, one I never knew to exist prior to now."

Across from her Marller chuckled, red eyes sparkling in amusement. "Is that so? You got riled up over something so simple? Bell-we're in a combination of mindscapes-we are two subconsciouses speaking to each other on the level of dreams. We're both seeing aspects of ourselves normally hidden from the outside world."

Yet still Belldandy shook her head, the frown deepening and a hint of suspicion dawning in blue eyes. "That may be so..." She said. "...but Marller is a demon who walks the subconscious as often as she does the physical plain. This realm-the part that would be of her mind-would be entirely under her control, reflecting only what she would allow me to see. Marller would not have allowed me to see that other aspect of her, nor would I have been able to see it of my own imaginings if I'd never known it was present in the first place."

A spark of alarm flashed across the demon's face, and Belldandy knew her hypothesis was correct. She pressed on, unabated as her conscious body would have been, a bloodhound after a fox and drawing in for the kill. "You are not Marller. You are someone, something else that perhaps knows her better than I, perhaps is taking wild stabs in the dark and hoping I might fall for the ones that are familiar to me.. However, there is one thing you did not take into account when moving into your little venture..."

Belldandy's eyes sparkled with mischief, and a loud _clap_ rang through the area as a burst of strong wind threw Marller against a pressurized barrier of air. As the woman cried out in pain, Belldandy smiled. "You are not speaking to Belldandy here-not the real one. I am her vigilance. I am her subconscious." The goddess rose a hand straight in to the air, slicing it down in front of the demon and cutting the air in two. The world exploded around them, shattering to glittering speckles as their world vanished into a void of darkness.

"And Marller has never, at any time in her life or mine, _ever_ called me 'Bell'."

With that the brunette lapsed into silence, crossing her arms together and waiting for the fake-Marller to act.

And she laughed.

Marller laughed, yet the laugh was not Marller's, was too deep to be Marller's.

It was the voice of a man, and as the intruder-for that was all Belldandy could see the person as now-rose to float in the void, the person ran an hand through blonde hair. The goddess watched long, curly blonde hair grow straight and short, gold lightening further into silver as a woman's face hardened into that of a mans. Eyes closed as the slit red of a cat, only to open to a blue so light the stranger looked to be blind, pupils a solid black circle that showed a man of sight. A chest flattened just as bulk grew on limbs and torso.

The transformation left behind a man Belldandy had never before met. No marking adorned his brow or cheek to mark him for god or demon, spirit or fae. He was foreign to her, and the Norn said as much to the stranger.

"Will you now tell me who you are?"

The laughter faded into a soft chuckle, until even that finally dissolved into nothing. "I must say, Belldandy, for all you are a goddess first-class, there are certainly a great many things about you that seem to go against what I've been led to believe." The silver-haired stranger swept an arm out across his waist, stooping into a deep bow. "Please, allow me to ask for your forgiveness." The man rose, and from his eyes Belldandy caught a spark of laughter. "I'd not meant to..._deceive_ you. I'd only wanted meant to ask for your assistance."

"By disguising yourself as one whom I know better than most?" Belldandy asked. "And you've still not told me your name, stranger."

The man tilted his head to the side, and for a moment Belldandy saw...something...slither over his form;a glimmer, a shimmer, and the moment was gone, leaving Belldandy to wonder if perhaps her eyes were deceiving her. "A name?" He asked. "Ah, yes, a name. You people can't go five minutes without giving the nameless a name anymore now, can you?" The man raised his chin, tapping a finger to his lips in thought before coming to meet Belldandy's eyes once more. "All right, how about I name myself after one of the Forgotten? Since they have departed this existence for another anyways, I'm sure they won't mind if I call myself by one of their brethren." A smile, shiny and filled with teeth, beamed at the Norn. "Kingu." He said. "Yes...Kingu will work."

"...Kingu...?" Belldandy slowly tasted the word, an unknown name that fit an unknown face as she sounded it out in one long, drawn out breath.

The man, Kingu, nodded, the smile growing ever larger as he watched her. "Yes. One of the Forgotten Generals, he was, son and father to the true Ancient Ones and a god to gods." His words held a hint of pride to them, one that left Belldandy wondering what true meaning the name held to the stranger who chose to go by it. "At least, before the one you call 'Almighty' rose to power..." _Those_ words were angry, and as Belldandy narrowed her eyes at the man, 'Kingu' tilted his head back in a laugh, the brief anger the Norn had sensed vanishing as his eyes grew playful once more. "Ah, but now is not the time to be dwelling on actions that cannot be changed, nor have I come to you with intentions to change them."

Kingu rose one pale finger to her, wagging it at the brunette mischievously. The nail was long and pointed, like a claw. "There is only one person I have approached you for, and that is Urd."

Slowly, Belldandy nodded her head, pushing the doubts over who this 'Kingu' was away for later. "Yes...Urd, my sister. What is it you want from her?"

"To succeed."

Dark brows furrowed together in confusion. "I'm...afraid I don't follow you. Succeed at what?"

Kingu's expression grew somber. "Belldandy, I wasn't lying to you when I told you a storm was coming. It lives on the horizon, and Urd is the eye. It will bring destruction with it, as all storms do; a destruction of the old, the unprepared, those things that cannot handle its ferocity. And with it, so too will change come, though be that change good or bad, I cannot say."

"What I can say is that like the storm that centers around her, so too will Urd be the source of that change. And when that time comes-_before_ that time comes-she'll need allies. People who would side by her words before anothers, ones who would support her even at her worst, through her _madness..._"

The silver-haired man trailed off, and Belldandy felt her skin crawl at his words. "What do you know?" She asked, surprised to here a whisper escape her throat.

Kingu approached her, calmly and quietly, and before sapphire eyes could blink, the stranger was in front of her, close enough that his body blocked out the gray of the void, leaving nothing but Kingu in front of her. A pale hand cupped her cheek and eyes a shade of blue lighter then the sky itself caught her own. "Not enough." He whispered, leaning his forehead in to touch her own. His flesh was cold and made her skin tingle, as though Belldandy was touching something that wasn't there, something that was fighting through a barrier that separated them in a desperate attempt to touch her.

"Trust her."

And then he was gone.

The goddess jumped, blinking and rubbing her eyes, searching the gray world of her own making for the stranger who'd hid behind a familiar face, who went by an alien name, and now had left her with warnings she wasn't quite sure she understood. "Wait, come back!" She cried, swimming through the gray and finding it lighten as she did. Awakening was coming, and she could start to hear the murmur of a voice back with her physical body.

"No!" Belldandy shouted in defiance, looking back to the steadily departing darkness of her mind and still seeing no signs of the strange man. "No, Kingu, come back! Please!"

Yet it was all for not as invisible hands grabbed her shoulders, dragging her down from her subconscious and into her physical body once more.

* * *

Belldandy awoke with a gasp and a heave, chest burning and her heart in her ears as the remainder of the potion slid down her throat. Oh, by the heavens above, the _taste_...The Norn gagged, feeling bile rise at the back of her throat and fully intent to send it off in the direction of whomever had decided to feed the wretched-tasting substance to her, and finding her actions halted with a dark hand across her mouth.

"Oh _no_ you don't. I know that look Belldandy, and if you think I'm about to let you upchuck all my time and hard work just because it tastes bad, I've got other news for you." There was a metal band around the wrist, and Belldandy followed the band up to the originator of the voice.

The voice was familiar, one she recognized immediately, and as blue eyes met their owner, Belldandy had to blink to make sure she wasn't seeing double. It looked like Urd. The person had Urd's voice, Urd's skin, even Urd's violet eyes. Yet the hair was wrong, too short to have ever been the Urd she'd known, even in past days of childhood, and for a brief moment it was not Urd's name that was whispered against the woman's palm.

Silver brows furrowed together in a mixture of concern and curiosity. "What was that?" The palm against Belldandy's hand lifted minutely, and again Belldandy repeated the name.

"Kingu? Who's that?"

Blue eyes darted to the hand on her mouth and back to violet, and warily Urd withdrew her hand, allowing Belldandy to ease her way into a sitting position. "I...I'm not sure..." Her voice came out a rasp, nearly unrecognizable from what she'd grown so familiar with, causing the deity to wince and driving further back the memories of a fever-dream; a dream that had already faded into nothingness, leaving in its place only whispers from a nameless source.

A hand moved to rub her back comfortingly and she felt a glass of something cool press into one of her hands. "Take it easy Bell." Urd's voice was calm and soothing, a tone reserved from a adolescent age of wild magic that would sooner wound then obey, of sicknesses that would knock her silly and injuries that would confine her to a bed. Despite herself, Belldandy found herself latching onto the calm like a drowning woman lost amongst the waves of a tsunami, and slowly the younger woman raised the glass to her lips.

The water tasted cool and crisp, soothing her aching throat and calming her stomach. "You've been through one hell of a trip Belldandy. If not for that Valkyrie's quick thinking, I might not have made it back in time to save you. That potion had a corrosive agent in it that's toxic towards gods. It was literally tearing you apart from the inside out."

_Well, that explains the blood, I guess..._

_And my throat..._

The goddess finished the glass Urd had given her before handing it back to her sister. The darker woman took it without comment, setting it down near a table bearing no small number of potion bottles and white cloths. More than one was speckled with red, and despite herself, a shiver rolled down Belldandy's back at the sight of them. Blood had always been one of the few things she'd been uncomfortable around, causing enough of a negative reaction within her that even with an partial magical affinity for the healing arts, Belldandy had been denied the role of any one of many medicinal gods and goddesses that resided within the heavens.

_Not that I'm complaining or anything..._she thought, staring hard at the ruined cloths and feeling her vision waver dangerously.

A finger snapped in her face, causing Belldandy to jump with a start, redirecting her gaze to Urd once more. "Uh-uh." The silver-haired woman said, wagging a finger in disapproval. "You focus on me, you hear? You've been through the worst of it now. There's no need to be dwelling on the past. That's my job." The woman sent her a wane smile, and Belldandy tried and failed to return it.

Yet still she did as directed, focusing on her sibling and again seeing a face that was as familiar as it was not. "..H..ai..r" She scratched out, her throat protesting very painfully against the idea of her speaking once more and, deciding better on it, motioned to her own brown strands.

Urd's smile fell into a bitter line, drawn thin across her face and causing her to look older then she actually was. "Bit of a shock, isn't it?" She asked, running a hand self-consciously through the short strands. "I'd say I decided to go down and get my hair butchered off by a mad barber whilst I was away, but then I'd be lying to you. Truth be told...I got into a bit of a scuffle with a demon."

The bronze woman raised her hands as though to ward off a blow as Belldandy's eyes grew large with alarm. "Hey, hey, don't give me that look now." She said. "It wasn't that big, just a small fight. I gained some new information about Vikoka from it in exchange for a haircut of my own doing. No harm, no foul."

Words meant to calm did little effect on the already ill woman, and distressed, Belldandy opened her mouth to protest. Again, a hand covered her mouth, and Urd's expression was poorly disguised behind a grin. "Bell, it's alright. Don't worry about it right now. There are other things that need your attention, like the man who's been worrying himself into exhaustion outside this room and the little girl who's afraid her big sister might vanish forever if you don't get better." The words were spoken gently, but the lighter woman could still sense the scold beneath. "Now, do you think you're well enough to see those two who've been worried so much over you? Or are you going to sit her and try and argue with me over the likes of demons until you work your way into exhaustion?"

Slowly, Urd once more removed her hand, and though a part of her fought against it, Belldandy released the breath of argument from within her in a sigh, looking to the door and seeing the silhouette of a downcast person from the other side.

Her guilt must have been obvious, for Urd pat her shoulder sympathetically. "Don't beat yourself up over it too much." She said quietly. "You did what you thought was right, just as I did. No one can fault you for that." Belldandy looked up sharply at the comment, lips parting in a silent desire for an explanation and receiving only a half-smile in return. The elder Norn dug into her dress, withdrawing her hand from it and the weapon it clutched tightly. "Hold on to this for a little while."

She offered the old weapon to the brunette, and Belldandy stared at it with distaste. "Please? It's only for a short time, I promise. Just keep it hidden and stowed away with it's spells. That's all I ask." Her voice was pleading, and Belldandy looked into an earnest face that bordered on desperation.

_Trust her..._

Words not her own echoed in her mind, and automatically Belldandy found herself taking the Angel Biter from her sister and sliding it up the sleeve of the sleeping gown she'd been adorned in. She gave Urd a soft nod of confirmation, and the relief that dawned in her sibling's violet eyes was so great it hurt.

"Thank-you." The goddess leaned in close to her sibling, gently touching their foreheads to each other before rising to her feet once more. "I'll let the others know you're awake." The silver-haired woman gathered the potions and cloths in her arms before moving to the door, knocking on the wood of the frame three times before taking a step back. The frame slid several inches to the side, and the low murmur of voices reached Belldandy's ears.

Feeling lightheaded, Belldandy moved to lay down once more, watching as the door parted further, revealing Herja and Lind and watching her sibling step out into the hallway. The Angel Biter felt unnaturally warm against her arm, still radiating from the heat of Urd's body, and the Norn watched the two Valkyries escort her older sister away in a train, Lind in front and Herja behind. There was something wrong with the image, something that sent off alarm bells somewhere in the depths of Belldandy's mind.

Yet the goddess was far too exhausted to think on what it was about the picture that put her on edge, and as Keiichi entered the room, followed momentarily by a rather alarmed Skuld, the image vanished from her mind, replaced with the best smile she could manage in her condition.

"I'm back." She whispered.

* * *

In the darkness of the land outside the shrine, a crow sat, it's mad eyes gazing into the darkness for creatures both predator and prey. Somewhere off in the distance, a chorus of wolves howled their night-songs to the moon, and the bird ruffled its feathers in distress, looking twice it's actual size, a dark silhouette in the moonlight. The forest grew into a soft murmur with the whisper of the wind and the light hum of nocturnal insects. Somewhere to it's left, a small flock of bats squeaked in the night air, directing the flight towards moths and mosquitoes, while farther above, it sensed an owl observing the small mammals flights.

The creatures were several miles away from the shrine, where the artificial lights of the home would not bother their hunts, and so it was the crow observed them, watching with eyes that did and did not see the owl make it's move, striking from the treetops and plucking a bat from the air. It watched it die in sharp talons and consumed by and even sharper beak, and the mad crow redirected its attention to its own hunting grounds.

The surrounding world had grown quite.

A predator was near the shrine, and uneasily the bird shifted from one foot to another, hopping to the edge of the rooftop and peering into the darkness of the forest.

A flutter of wings.

A snarl.

And the crow turned just in time to catch golden eyes before the jaws crushed the life from it's body.

Within the perimeter of the shrine, deep enough in the woods that no light hit their pelts, their eyes, a pack of wolves howled their hunters' chorus to the moon.

And from within the shrine, locked away like a caged animal, a fallen demon twitched.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: _And so after two long months of hell my crawling into the next level of hell for another month, I finally have an update for you all. Enjoy. It may be a while yet before you see another.

Don't own Tristania's _The Ravens._


	20. Bang Bang

Angel Biter

Chapter 20

* * *

"Eir took a child hostage?"

Herja nodded grimly and Lind leaned back with a frown. Somewhere in the shrine, the tea room if Lind had to guess, a clock chimed eight times on the hour. The two of them were alone in the hallway, Lind sitting with her back against the wall and Herja standing at her side a short distance away. It was guard duty, one they shared together as they held vigil over the two rooms that held a demon who'd gone insane and a god practicing forsaken magic. And as they did they conversed, for it made the time pass and kept their minds alert and active.

Badb Catha was taking her watch over Keiichi who in turn was watching over Belldandy. The woman's condition had improved exponentially since Urd's return, yet still the Norn remained bedridden, and so it was the young man that was Keiichi found himself with in most of his free time. Skuld, the goddess still recovering from her own experiences, had fought to stay in the room containing her sister as well, yet after a short visit with Belldandy and finding herself under the constant scrutiny of the Mad Crow, the girl had retired to her room with a wary, almost shy nature that seemed at odds with the young girl Lind had seen since last her visit to the Assiah.

Eir was no where to be found.

The youngest of their unit had vanished after the incident with Skuld, and even Badb Catha, who sent her war crows out as sentries, admitted that she could find no sign of the pink-haired Valkyrie.

"Was there anything to explain why she did this?" Lind continued on, a twinge of unease rising in her gut before she had a chance to vanquish it. "Anything she said, anything she was doing that seemed out of the ordinary?" Lind knew the Valkyrie. Had gotten to know her very well since her initiation into their flight, but Herja knew the girl better and longer then Lind, and now the blue-haired woman nodded.

"Voices." She said, the beginning of a frown tugging at the corner of one lip as the tall woman crossed her arms over her chest. "She'd been telling me the voices were getting stronger since descending. Mentioned them getting harder to ignore, and what she did to the girl this evening was her listening to them." Herja shook her head with a troubled sigh, looking down to Lind. "This place is bad for her, I think. She never listened to the voices in Heaven. They weren't that strong up topside. But down here..."

Lind nodded in understanding. "Yes...we were all made aware of her condition when she joined our flight. As to why that issue is starting to surface in greater detail down here is a mystery to me." _And to think she would threaten injury to one so young..._A brief flicker of rage flared in her chest like fire, and she stomped it out before it could grow too wild. _None of us had expected an incident like this to occur._ "We can only wait...hope Eir returns to us soon." The pale Valkyrie said. "Our manning is stretched thin enough with all that has happened already-we cannot afford to send one of our own out after her. At least not for another fifteen hours."

A grumble from Herja that spoke as much displeasure as agreement. "I just hope we'll have a quiet night. I've had enough 'adventure' for one day."

Lind could only nod in agreement.

She didn't have the heart to tell the lesser-experienced Valkyrie that missions rarely worked out that way.

* * *

Deep within the shrine of the Morisato residence, locked away and guarded by Valkyries, Mara slept.

And as she slept, she dreamed.

Her dreams were not like those of Belldandy's or of anyone else s, for in her dreams Mara was free, and in her dreams Mara traveled.

She traveled out of her body, worn and beaten from a battle she didn't fully understand, yet whose spirit felt none of the pains and aches that had accompanied her into the realms of sleep. Here, in an astral body, the demon wandered out the door and past the wards that barred her physical body from freedom, past the Valkyries who conversed with each other, and out into the world beyond.

The world was black with night and filled with a silence that spoke of unease, and the demon traveled into the forest, seeking out the source of the woodlands tension. She found them easily, allowing her spirit to drift and be pulled to the demon-kin as she knew she would be, and smiling as she entered their temporary camp.

There were five of them, some she recognized from ages past, others whose faces were unfamiliar to her. One demon went about in his more bestial form, laying on the ground and gnawing on the remains of some unfortunate creature. Black feathers clung to his muzzle and the sound of cracks and pops filled the area around him as the beast worked its way to the marrow within. Behind the creature, another demon, one who's face was unfamiliar to her, sat against a tree. Weapons of various shapes and sizes laid sprawled out on a cloth in front of him, and for a brief moment Mara paused to watch as he chose one weapon and tested it's edge against his thumb, frowning when it didn't draw blood and grabbing the whetstone that rested on his leg.

The grinds of metal on stone provided a comforting and familiar melody that mingled with the snap of bones, and Mara felt the tension of the day slide from her body like water. She was amongst her own people, Goetia they may be. Here, she was in her element, and here it was she approached the one she knew would see her, whose gaze had followed her movements since she entered their camp, and as their eyes met he smiled broadly at her.

"_Valu."_ Mara greeted in a voice that was not, and the woman swept her arm across her and stooped into a bow. While not the strongest of any of the demons around her, the man-no, boy, a youth barely out of his teens-was still Goetia, and still outranked her by a good measure.

The child snickered and laughed at her bow, and around the camp the four others paused in their doings to see what had gotten the young man so riled up. Yet the youth, of a fair hair and skin so light he could have been mistaken for any one of the angels he sought to slay so often, bowed in return, though it did not hold the amount of depth as did Mara's. He ignored his comrades, and perhaps sensing there was more to the boy's moment of insanity then first appeared, the others returned to their business, not bothering to question the lad's odd actions.

"It's good to see you too, Mara." He snickered. "But I'll never get over your formality. You're older than me by a long shot, after all."

A ghost of a smile flickered across Mara's spectral image. _"Yes, and I've watched you grow since you were a runt even smaller then the one you are now." _She teased, a miasma-hand moving to rest on the boy's head. _"But that still does not change the fact that you are Goetia and I am not. Such titles, no matter the age, demand respect Cousin."_

The boy nodded in understanding and his expression grew serious. "But why do you come in your astral body?" He asked. "Amon caught wind of your capture and that Valkyries were about, but you don't normally save such tricks unless your in a real amount of trouble."

An uncomfortable frown spread across the woman's spectral features and her eyes darted to one side. _"Ah, yes...In a manner of speaking...I did get into a small predicament with some of the newer residents in the shrine."_

"You got captured again, didn't you?"

A shrug of ghostly shoulders. _"It comes with the job."_

Valu slapped his forehead and let out an over-dramatic groan, causing several of the demons around him to look at the youth in annoyance. "It happened _again? _Nidhogg curse it Mara, I'm starting to understand why the others always act like you don't exist. You shame the family name with all this 'getting captured' business of yours! Oh the ignominy!"

Mara raised a wisp of an eyebrow, crossing her hands over her chest, unimpressed. _"You done yet?" _She'd known the youth since he was a jovial babe with a taste for theatrical dramatics, and his eccentricities had long since failed to affect her.

This time proved no different, despite the unusual circumstances. The youth grinned. "Yes." He replied. "Just thought I'd let you know the rest of the family's perspective on you." The lad chuckled as the spectral demon rolled her eyes. "So, for what reason have you entered our humble abode, dear Cousin?"

"_I need to report to the Daimakaicho."_

"And you can't simply tell us what you learned so we can report it for you, can you?"

The woman shook her head and Valu huffed in annoyance. "You and your blessed clearances." He scowled. "I just don't understand why we need to get second-hand information from a higher source when we have the originator right here with us. It doesn't make any sense."

"_Hey. Don't go blaming me for this. I don't make the rules, I just follow them. Now can you help me?"_

The youth frowned, crossing his arms across his chest before sighing. "Yes, I can help you, though it will take a few minutes to set up." He watched the specter grin and nod before turning away. Moving the the tree his gear had been stashed under, the youth began withdrawing the necessary items needed for the temporary portal, and as he did he listened as Mara spoke.

"_I saw Amon earlier. Is he leading this venture?" _The woman moved to lean against a tree, no small bit of him mind shifting to keep the portion the touched wood solid enough that she wouldn't sink through the bark on accident.

Valu grunted in something that might have been disagreement, shaking his head as he carefully drew a circle in the earth. "No, you know better than I that he was relieved of any sort of leadership role decades ago." He looked up at the phantom, tapping his forehead with a finger covered in dirt. "You know how it is." He looked back to his work. "Gamori is leading this venture. The Powers That Be said the demon was up for a promotion and needed the leadership experience."

"_Gamori?" _At the name, the concentration needed to keep her leaning against the wood vanished, and Mara fell through the tree, toppling to the ground on the other side and threatening to sink through _that_ as well. The demon picked herself up, head spinning around the camp as she looked for the demon in question. _"Gamori's here? Gamori got a promotion? You're shitting me." _

Yet nothing but the panting laugh of a demonic wolf answered her questions, and she knew that Amon would not reveal any secrets while dressed as his avatar. The demon Gamori was no where in sight, and as Mara returned behind the tree to her relative, she could not decide whether it was relief or disappointment that filled her.

Valu, his circle now complete, looked up at her with laughing eyes. "Yes, it is hard to believe, is it not? Gamori is not the type to be out on field missions." The youth grunted as he stood, stepping away from the temporary gate and gesturing to it. "But I'm sure you can gain better information behind _that_ from the Daimakaicho herself."

Taking the hint, any further questions died in her throat as Mara moved to step in the gate's circle. As though sensing her astral body enter it's radius, a red glow arose from it's perimeter, and Valu waved. "Good luck." He said merrily. "And lets hope the Daimakaicho doesn't beat you _too_ ragged with your newest report."

Mara didn't even have time to flip him off before she vanished.

The astral body of his cousin gone, Valu sighed mightily before leaning back against the very tree Mara had occupied earlier. "And now we wait."

"Oh? And what are we waiting for?" A new voice rang through the camp, and from the darkness of the forest a new shape emerged. She was flanked on either side by two demons, and as her violet eyes met his the youth scurried to attention.

"S-Ma'am, Demon First-Class Mara entered the camp in an astral body. She came asking for a temporary gate to Niflheim and reported that she'd been captured by enemy forces in the shrine."

The newcomer nodded, wisps of silver hair flowing in a non-existent breeze. "I see. Very good. We should be receiving new orders shortly." She murmured, more to herself than the trio of demons around her. A dark hand waved the blonde before her down, and Valu allowed himself to relax. "Go and gather the others." She said. "It won't be long now."

"Yes Ma'am." With a quick bow Valu was off to accomplish the task assigned to him, and as he maneuvered around the two demons that accompanied the dark lady, he found himself wondering. _What did she do to her hair?_

* * *

It had been many a year since Mara had stepped foot into the realms of Niflheim. An imprisonment for five hundred years followed by a mandatory field mission left little time to visit the realm that was her home, and now, wandering down the hallways of the Daimakaicho's palace, Mara couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of surrealism. It felt strange, walking through corridors lined with spires and spikes, where the world around her was tinted with smoke and whose sky was the devilish red of hellfire.

Here, her astral body was made visible to many, and those she passed parted before her, showing her the respect that she'd long since forgotten in a world that new nothing of First-Class markings nor could sense the power that caused so many to look at her in fear.

No...Mara had long grown use to walking through crowds that knew nothing of her markings, unseen and ignored in large groups whose only concern was to reach every persons respectable destination. Now she felt naked and exposed, a part of her desperately seeking out a way to grow anonymous amongst her people and coming to the frightening realization that such an act was now impossible. It caused her breath to quicken and her heart to rise in her throat, and grimly she pushed it down, fighting back the panic of exposure underneath a mask that warned away any who came near, even those of a Class near her own.

It was in such a way that she continued her travels, passing Slayers whom she knew, that smiled and gestured a greetings at her return, and demons she did not know but who must have known of her reputation; they scowled and muttered darkly under their breaths, and as she passed them, she could feel their hard eyes on her back, digging into a body that was a mere specter like the quills of a porcupine.

It was with great relief that she finally approached the door that lead to the Daimakaicho's work chamber; a private office within a building which held anything but, where Hild might focus on her work for the day without various political heads or advisors around to continuously harass her. The blonde halted outside the door, and without warning it parted for her, allowing the astral demon entrance to the chambers beyond.

Without hesitation Mara strode on, moving into a chamber that held it's own source of light from little pockets in the walls that glowed and pulsed to the rhythm of some unknown creature's heart. The walls holding the light were black and fleshy, and Mara knew from experience that should she touch it, the wall beneath her hand would feel warm and alive-the flesh surrounding the many small glowing hearts of the room.

Behind her, the door shut with a silent click, followed by a hollow hum Mara recognized as seals being placed upon the entrance; a sure sign to any who approached from outside that the Daimakaicho was not to be disturbed. The action brought a strange feeling of relief to Mara, who'd been fearing of having to give her report to a pack of higher ranking demons rather than the lone soul that commanded her.

It was a gesture of respect; a small one that spoke more than any compliment that could have been offered, than any praise that could have been bestowed upon her for a successful mission or rage at one that had failed.

For she was one of Hild's people-not the Daimakaicho's, for as Mara had seen in the past, the title of Daimakaicho could very easily fall into the possession of one undeserving-but _Hild's_. Just as the many demons who served directly under her knew Hild, so too did Hild know those who served under her, and while the respect was rarely seen in public, where the roles of master and servant were forced to be maintained, away from the public view a different tale was told.

The Daimakaicho stood before her, one hand resting on the desk at her side as she observed Mara with inquisitive violet eyes. The demon paused as those violet eyes met red, and Mara swept an arm across her chest, stooping to kneel on one leg and bowing her head in her leader's presence. At the demon's command Mara rose once more, and without urge she began her report, speaking of Valkyries and demons, of foolish goddesses who risked life and freedom for those they cared for, and the mortals unfortunate enough to be caught in the chaos between two different factions. Of magic and insanity, desperation and bittersweet victory, and so much more.

When she finally finished her report, Hild smiled. It was a thin smile, a line against the mouth that spoke of plots and ideas, and the woman nodded. "Yes..." The dark woman murmured. "Yes...I see what needs to be done..." Her eyes grew distant for a brief moment, than focused with a frightening clarity on Mara.

Yet the woman did not flinch, and her gaze remained steady on the Daimakaicho. Such displays were to be saved for the Assiah realm, where anything might be watching, be they damned or divine, or for the realm outside of the more private chambers. "Mara, I'm going to allow you access to your avatar." She said, and as she spoke Mara could feel as though some great weight had been lifted from her shoulders, the seal the Daimakaicho habitually placed on those with access to such powers who were not of the Slayer or Goetia breed.

"I'll trust your judgment on where and when to use it." Hild continued. "As this is the most I dare do with you away from your physical body on the planes below." The Daimakaicho frowned in displeasure. "Be careful with your astral body, Mara." The dark lady warned. "The deities of the Heavens do not know we have been developing such technicals that can bypass their own. I do not want to loose you because they have discovered a demon with just such an ability."

Mara swooped her arm across her body once more in a deep bow, one that spoke as much gratitude as respect. "As you wish, Lady Daimakaicho." She murmured, before rising from her bow once more.

Something that might have been an approving smile lined the Daimakaicho's face. "Good. Now go. Return to your physical body. Rest and recover. You'll know when the time comes to act."

A nod from Mara, and silver-haired woman snapped her fingers. A circle of red light manifested near one of the dark and fleshy walls, and without instruction Mara moved towards it. In a flash she was gone, and as the circle of light dissipated into nothing once more, Hild returned to her chair, sinking gracefully into the cushioned leather with a sigh before reaching for the phone on her desk.

"Gamori? Yes, it's Hild. There's been a change in plans...

* * *

It had been fifteen minutes since last the clock had chimed. Already midnight had come and gone, and it was during such a state that the one who was missing returned at last. Her return was silent, not even the soft slide of a door nor the light snap of it closing disrupting the night silence, and her steps were the silent steps of a cat.

Herja was the first to witness her upon return, and as blue met pink, a whimper escaped Eir's throat, and the girl stumbled. The older Valkyrie was at her side in an instant, Lind behind them both a moment later as Eir collapsed, her hands flying to her ears as though trying to block out something only she could hear.

"I'm sorry..." She whimpered. "I'm so sorry...for what I did to that child, Herja. It was wrong of me, I shouldn't have done it, but the voices wouldn't stop, and I thought if maybe I did as they told me, they'd shut up, but they didn't, they aren't, and it hurts. It hurts it hurts it _hurts!_" She cried. "They're saying so many things, so many _awful_ things that I think I'll go mad with their confessions. I thought I might listen to them again, so I ran but now their saying other things, Herja, frightening things, and I have to tell you before they...before they..." The lass grit her teeth, eyes bulging with a pain that made her grunt as she fought back a shout.

"H-Herja...Lind...Please...get them out. Get...them out...of my head. Before they...before they..." A low, agonizing moan interrupted the girl's speech, and resting crumpled against Herja, the young woman curled into a ball of despair.

And even as Herja shifted into 'medic' mode, Lind was off, slipping into Belldandy's room without a word and withdrawing Badb Catha from it's folds. Hushed whispers filled the night air as the trio of Valkyries surrounded their fallen comrade, desperate to draw out the source of the young Eir's ailment and the meaning behind her words. Yet their actions proved futile and efforts too late, as the pink-haired woman suddenly lashed out, clawing madly, desperately at Herja.

"They're here! They're _here!" _The girl screamed, even as an alarmed Keiichi moved to join the Valkyries and they're hysterical comrade. "Herja, you need to get to the door! They're going to-"

A loud crash from the living room cut her off, and immediately Eir's cries were muted as those around her leaped to face the new threat. A twirl of brown smoke seeped into the hallway, and the path that lead to the living room and beyond vanished in a dirty obscurity. It came to the group, quickly and with a mind of it's own, until before long the small unit of Valkyries and lone mortal could see little aside from the dim silhouettes of their fellows.

They were not alone.

Blinded though they may have been, the group was far from deaf, and though the smoke diluted the sounds of eachother, it did not hide the snarl of a beast, and Lind had just enough time to raise her hands in defense as a great and lumbering figure charged into her through the smoke. It knocked her down with a grunt, and the enraged narls of a wolf filled the hazy air.

"Lind!" Keiichi cried, racing to the woman's side without so much a thought and slamming into what felt like heavy desk covered in fur. Something snapped at him in rage, and the man caught sight of luminescent red eyes glaring at him from a jaw that looked large enough to snap his body in two. The man cursed, backpeddling and falling over the grounded Eir, and as the wolf moved to lunge for his throat again came Lind, leaping onto it's back and wrapping heavily-gloved hands around it's snout. Fingers burrowed into nostril holes and Lind pulled back, forcing the beast with her and away from her fallen comrades.

Somewhere, the sound of a rattle hissed angrily, and a forked tongue lashed out of the wolf's muzzle in a snarl-hiss that sounded like nothing Keiichi had ever heard before.

"Lind! It's poisonous! Get your fingers away from it's jaws!" That was Herja screaming, he realized, and through the smoke he watched the hazy Lind release her captive, as Badb Catha moved in for an attack of her own, bringing her hands together in a closed fist above her head even as the wolf-beast turned to snap at it's newest opponent. The fist collided with the creature's muzzle, and a high-pitched yelp filled the air.

Lind leaped off the creature's back, yet rather than turn around to face the woman the wolf instead turned and ran back the way it came. "Herja, stay with Eir and Keiichi." Lind ordered, and both she and Badb Catha vanished into the smoke.

The sounds of snarls and howls and shouts followed their departure, the cries sounding distant, as though the fight was taking place outside in the courtyard. And perhaps it was, for as the smoke began to clear there was no trace of the duo. Keiichi made move to stand, only to have Herja grab him by the arm and pull him to the ground once more. "Wait." She whispered, resting on the balls of her feet in a crouch.

"Herja-" Eir whispered, crawling to her hands and knees next to Keiichi, even as the woman in question hushed her with a hiss. The youth winced but nodded, biting her tongue and near-mirroring the tense expression on Herja's own face as they stared into the dissipating smoke.

And with their silence, Keiichi heard it.

Footsteps, the hollow _click click click_ of high heels on wood. The sound grew louder, drawing closer, and as it did Keiichi began to see the first signs of a silhouette in the smoke. It approached at a leisurely pace, as though its owner had all the time in the world and was in no rush, and as it grew more distinguishable, Keiichi was able to place a feminine figure to the owner.

"Well now, what do we have here?" A voice, laughing and familiar, echoed throughout the hallway, and Keiichi's eyes widened in recognition. The figure drew closer, and Keiichi felt his jaw fall open as the smoke finally cleared and familiar violet eyes met his own.

"Why, it looks to be a pair of little Valkyries and...oh my! A little mortal as well!" Urd cried, a tiger's smile on her face as she continued, unabated down the hallway. "Well than, tell me this children-do you expect to stop me from my goal?" A hand swept up from where it dangled at Urd's side, and a trail of flame erupted from the limb, bursting forth and towards the trio.

It was Herja who saved them, vaulting as close to the wall nearest her as possible and sending a blast of wind into Keiichi and Eir, knocking the duo into the opposing wall. The flames shot past, scorching the wood black and whose fires were so intense that Keiichi's arms and face grew red and hot.

As the flames died down, Keiichi looked to the woman, even as behind him, he heard Eir hiss 'traitor'. "Urd! What the hell are you doing? Why are you attacking us?" Keiichi shouted. "We aren't your enemies!"

The silver-haired woman laughed. "Ah, 'hell' indeed, Love." She purred. "And I'm pretty sure being locked away with a sealed magic counts as 'enemies', Keiichi." Her gaze drifted to the side, and Keiichi followed her gaze to Urd's room, where he could still vaguely see the light blue glow of the seal that had been placed on her door.

A bright dart of blue light flashed past Urd's head, and the goddess shifted her attention to the originator. "How did you escape?" Herja demanded, body tense and a gloved fist raised. More of the darts of magic rested in-between her fingers. The silver-haired woman stared at her in amusement before taking a step towards the Valkyrie, and the braided woman swung her arm, where another dart whizzed past Urd's body, slicing through the cloth on her shoulder and leaving a gaping hole that exposed tan flesh. "Don't you move another inch." Herja warned. "Now answer the question."

The air had grown tense, and Keiichi watched the two woman with bated breath as Urd moved a hand to rub her chin, as though considering her options. Violet eyes turned from Herja to gaze around the hallway, moving to meet Keiichi's. "Urd..." The man whispered, wanting desperately to help the goddess but unable to think of any solution.

Yet the woman's gaze remained calm and steady, drifting uninterested from him and to something-someone-behind him. A ghost of a smile appeared on Urd's face, and the woman began humming happily to herself as again her eyes drifted to Herja once more.

"...He wore black and I wore white..."

The woman gave voice to the hum, and behind him, Keiichi sensed Eir edging away. The man risked a glance to the young Valkyrie and watched as stiffly, she made her way to Herja's side.

"...He would always win the fight..."

Urd's voice was low and soft, the tune almost melancholy as she raised a hand to Herja. The middle and index finger were pointed towards the tall Valkyrie, thumb sticking straight up in the air and the two remaining fingers curled against the palm. The goddess smiled.

"Bang Bang."

The woman jerked her hand twice with the words, imitating a recoiling gun, and though no magic left her fingers, Herja still gasped, jerking to the side as though struck.

"...He shot me down..."

And Keiichi saw it, Eir behind Herja, the tears falling from her eyes and the blood that dripped between the two.

"Bang Bang...I hit the ground..."

"Eir, what are you doing!" Keiichi roared. Eir had stabbed Herja. It didn't make sense, yet that was exactly what his eyes were telling him. Eir had stabbed Herja, with what Keiichi couldn't see, only the red on the floor and the red seeping into the white of the Valkyrie's uniform. "_Stop it! Stop it now!" _His voice broke, tearing harshly through his throat as he moved to the two woman, grabbing the offending arm and meeting Eir's gaze. The tears hadn't stopped, and in her eyes he saw nothing but terror.

"Please..." The voice that left her was so faint that momentarily Keiichi was unsure if he'd heard it or not. "You have to stop me. I can't...I can't-"

"Bang Bang...That awful sound..."

The arm Keiichi had grabbed ripped out of his grasp, and surprised, he looked to it, even as it lurched forward into Herja's back once more.

Keiichi screamed. They were unrecognizable from Herja's.

The limb hadn't been human.

Keiichi didn't know what it was, but it wasn't human, of that the man was certain. Human hands didn't have three-pronged digits. Human hands didn't have curved talons. Human hands didn't burrow into the flesh of others, didn't come out coated in blood with black chunks of tissue, didn't...didn't...

"Bang Bang...My baby shot me down..."

"Urd! Stop it!" Keiichi roared, and before he had time to realize what he was doing, the dark-haired man had tackled the goddess, knocking them both to the ground and effectively ending Urd's song.

For a long moment, there was nothing but a frightful silence, one that not even the combatants outside seemed capable of piercing. Then came the tumble of something hitting the ground, followed by a whimper. Yet Keiichi found himself incapable of looking behind him, already knowing what he'd see and not wanting to face that reality quite yet.

Instead he carefully rose from Urd's body, a hand held tightly against Urd's mouth to prevent the goddess from singing any more damnable lyrics as horrified brown met laughing violet. "Urd...why?" His voice was little more than a whisper, and try as he might, the man found himself incapable of raising it any higher. "Have you gone insane? Why would you do this? Why...what-" His throat locked and Keiichi bit the inside of his lip, fighting against tears that were coming unbidden and unwanted to his eyes.

Gently a tan hand wrapped around his wrist, and Keiichi didn't fight as that hand removed his own from Urd's mouth. With all the ease of a cat, the bronze woman slid out from under him, repositioning herself to crouch at Keiichi's side. "It's simple, really." She said, her voice soft and gentle. "You were in my way."

"Now if you'll excuse me..." And the goddess was gone, walking down the hall once more. "I need my demon returned to me."

Keiichi looked up, past the fallen form of Herja and watching as Eir, struggling and fighting Eir, clutching a limp that wasn't her own, followed unwillingly behind.

"Oh...and one more thing."

The goddess paused, looking over her shoulder and meeting Keiichi's horrified brown eyes. "I'd move quick if I were you Keiichi. Otherwise that little Valkyrie of yours really _will _be dead."

"Urd..." Realization of what the woman had done dawned on him, and with a start Keiichi scampered to Herja, tugging his shirt off numbly and pressing the clean cloth onto the wounds of the Valkyries back. The wounds were ugly; three gaping holes the size of his fist, and Keiichi found if he looked hard enough he could identify bone from muscle. His stomach rolled at the sight and he quickly covered the exposed back, watching disparagingly as the red soaked and darkened the blue shirt to an ugly black.

The smell of blood was overpowering.

Yet still Keiichi pressed on, knowing only that the bleeding needed to stop. "Damn it." He hissed, and his eyes blurred as something slick coated his hands. "_Damn it!_" The youth shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts even as a lump rose in his throat. "What do I do?" Belldandy was sick, recovering from her own trauma. Urd and Eir had caused the wound and Lind and Badb Catha were outside fighting who knew what.

"Skuld!" He shouted, putting as much pressure as he dared on the shirt, praying the bleeding would stop. "Lind! Badb Catha! I need help!" His voice died down, waiting for something, some small sign that one of them had heard him.

Nothing.

Yet Keiichi did not stop, calling, screaming until his throat was raw until he could cry no more. Yet still no one answered his pleas, and with a rising fear he felt the goddess underneath him slip further from his grasp. _I can't help her._ He thought, the knowledge cold and wrenching in his chest. _I can't help her and she's going to die because of it._ "Damn it...damn it all...please don't die..._please_!"

_She knew. Urd did this knowing I wouldn't be able to save her, knowing no one would be able to help her._ The knowledge came unbidden, a whisper in his mind that felt foreign, out of place almost. The man grit his teeth.

"God damn you Urd!"

Underneath his hands, the blood continued to flow.

* * *

"Now now, don't be shy Bune. Go ahead and open her up." The voice was sweet and gentle, yet for all the kindness in Urd's voice, only the image of a snake appeared in her mind's eye. The youth paused, gritting her teeth as fresh tears threatened to fall from her eyes. "Don't call me that. My name is not Bune."

There was a soft chuckle from behind the youth, and hands, their grip feather-light, rested on her shoulders. "Ah, but you see you are, Little Valkyrie." The voice was right next to her, close enough that she could feel Urd's breath in her ear. "And you know it too."

_She's right, you know..._A voice whispered in her mind, one who's face appeared like a great and rapid canine in her mind. It's head was attached to a long and scaly black neck, and it panted a smile in her mind. _That is you name. The name of your other...the name of us..._

Another face appeared next to it, this one displaying the feathered black head of a gryphon. _You've known it since first you saw us, that one glorious day so long ago. From the moment our eyes met yours, and your angel surged forth, and we went mad with hunger..._It's voice was a screech in her mind, one that made her wince and clamp her hands, human and talon alike, to her ears in the hopes of drowning it out.

"Please stop..." She whimpered. "Just shut up...I'm begging you...stop telling me these lies..."

Yet the voices did not,and in her mind's eye a third and final head rose to join it's siblings, this of a man, his hair long and thick and black, his eyes as red as his fellows. _You know they are not lies, my Little Eir. _The head moved forward, and as it did so too did the rest of it's body come into view. _These are memories we speak of, my precious. Memories you were denied after you killed us._ The dragon whispered, it's three heads twining around eachother, taking turns as they spoke. _Do you not remember us now? Mad and raving inside a cage barely large enough to contain our body? Do you not remember striking us down as little more than a beast when before your angel arose a man once stood?_

"Shut up! I don't want to remember! Shut up and leave me alone! Go away!" The youth fell to her knees, yet scream though she might, the cries of another seemed to drown out her own, and as Keiichi's voice called desperately for help, Eir found like he that there would be no one coming for her.

She'd just killed the one person who could silence the voices, after all.

_Do you not remember? Do you not remember drinkning our blood? Wearing our skin? Do you not remember, barer of the Golden Eyes technique, Special-Class "Berserker Unit" Eir?_ _Of the sacrifice you made for a demon's gold eyes and the power that accompanied them?_ The human head of the black dragon drew near, the same face of the man she'd known only briefly in her life as her doublet. His features morphed in front of her, grew lighter, sharper, more angular as it spoke.

_Do you not remember the consequences of your actions?_ _Of all the Golden-eyed Valkyries?_ Her own face asked, and as she stared into her own pink eyes, Eir's true eyes shot open, and the young goddess screamed.

The images vanished and nothing but a sealed door stood in front of her. The pink-haired youth panted, eyes wild and frightened as they darted one way then the next, seeming to search for non-existent enemies.

A hand rested once more on her shoulder. Eir jumped with a start, and a shudder wormed it's way down her spine. "Now will you open the door Bune?" Urd asked, voice as gentle as before. "Or will I be forced to change your mind next?"

Eir looked to her hand, to the blood coated black talon that had replaced it and to the glowing pink geometric lines that traced up her flesh, where they dissipated and the white of her uniform replaced the black of a dragon's claw. The girl shuddered once more, knowing what the woman behind her meant. _It should be me lying on the floor back there, my life's blood seeping into the ground beneath my feet. _The woman thought miserably, slowly moving to stand and approaching the seal-aligned door.

"I deserve to die." And with that she raised her hand, the one that was still her own, and placed it against the door. The seals grew bright with her power and recognition of her status. Eir muttered the counterspell under her breath, and the light of the seals faded into nothing.

The seals gone and the door unlocked, Eir stepped to one side, looking away as Urd moved to open the temporary cell. There was a slide of the door, and she felt Urd pause to look at her. Felt those violet eyes burrow into her head, and stubbornly Eir kept her gaze away from the older goddess.

A hand patted her shoulder. "We all deserve to die, Little Bune." The woman murmured. "Some more than others, and some before their time has come." And with that she was gone, vanishing into the darkness of Mara's prison even as Eir looked to watch her go.

It was dark inside the little prison. The light from hallway provided some illumination, but had her eyes not been so adjustable to the dark, it would not have been enough. Yet where more many would have stumbled or tripped in their search for her target, she easily navigated it's confines. Her demon was in one of the far corners of the room, curled in a tight ball with her back resting against the wall. An expression of exhaustion was on the blonde's face, and as she drew near she could make out the reasons behind the expression.

Small tears in the woman's uniform, a cloak wrapped tightly around her body in a room that felt cool to her skin, not to mention the unhealthy quality to the blonde's magical aura.

She sighed. "Oh Marller...always playing so rough with others." She clicked her tongue in disapproval, kneeling down beside the woman. "Oh well...It looks like the roles have been reversed. Seems a Beauty has finally found her Sleeping Knight." A mischievous light entered her eyes and she leaned in close to the woman. "And of course...the only way to wake any Sleeping body...is with a kiss..."

By now her lips were hovering above Mara's, and now her lips pressed lightly against the blonde's.

The kiss was long. But it wasn't until she moved to deepen it that the woman beneath her finally stirred.

And as Mara's eyes snapped open and flashed red with rage, a fist moved on it's own accord, planting itself firmly against her right eye.

The punch sent her flying into a skid on her back, and she stopped inches short of her head colliding with the opposing wall. She blinked at the dark ceiling in surprise, raising a hand to the pained area before rolling off her back and into a sitting position. "Marller, for shame. Abuse already? We're not even married yet."

Across from her, Mara spat on the ground, rising to her feet and wiping her mouth before repeating the action once more. "Fuck you Gamori." She growled. She spat on the ground a third time, wishing sincerely she had some chewing gum on hand. "Ugh...that was disgusting..." She muttered, more to herself than the woman in the room with her. "I'm going to be licking sandpaper for a week."

The woman across from her let the hand fall from her wounded eye, and where a swollen black eye should have been instead a gold eye sparkled in amusement. "Kinky." Gamori said. "Though really Marller, I could have gone without the punch. Do you know how much magic goes into a disguise like this?" She spread her hands out before her, gesturing to her body. "And after I gave you my energy too..."

Mara bit back a groan, settling instead for grabbing the bridge of her nose in irritation. "Can we just go already?"

Gamori laughed. "But of course, my dear." She dipped into a mocking bow. "After you..."

The demon grumbled something unintelligible before moving out into the hallway, blinking somewhat in the illumination. It was Eir who first caught her attention, and the blonde stared at the youth in surprise for several long seconds, wondering if perhaps she was hallucinating. "...Bune?" She asked, and the youth flinched.

Mara shook her head, rubbing her eyes and staring at the pink-haired Valkyrie once more. "No...no...what am I saying?" She murmured. "You're a Valkyrie, a woman...How the hell did I mistake you for a Goetia?" The woman scowled. "Wait...why aren't you attacking us?"

From behind her Gamori laughed. "Now is not the time for such questions, Marller. Just know that for the moment, little Eir here is on our side."

Mara looked back over her shoulder at the woman in confusion. With the light, the damage from Mara's punch was all too obvious. The face was still Urd, yet from where Mara's fist had connected, what looked like glass had been shattered. Pieces of tan skin had fallen away, replaced with a pale white that was at odds with the 'guise of a goddess. A golden eye watched merrily, and the area around the white and tan was cracked like a chipped porcelain doll. "Shall we?"

"That's not Urd." Eir whispered as the demon strolled past, her voice so low that only Mara heard her.

The demon nodded. "No...It isn't. It's something worse." And then she was following after the demon, leaving Eir alone.

"Gamori..." The youth whispered, repeating the name she'd heard from inside the demon's prison and watching the retreating backs of the two demons before her. "The one who forced my hand on a comrade..."

"I will kill her."

The Valkyrie clutched her arm, looking down at the limb and surprising herself with the pale limb of a goddess. The talons were gone, the black flesh had faded away, yet still her arm was drenched and dyed in red. The pink-haired girl flexed the hand, moved the fingers, and watched as dried chips of red flaked to the wooden floor. In the back of her mind she heard the whispers and screech of a demon, and Eir's lips peeled back in a snarl. "I will kill her. If it is my last deed as a Valkyrie, so be it. I shall kill that demon and welcome the arms of my comrades happily. But by the Almighty's eyes, I will kill that demon."

And then she too, followed after.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Not entirely sure how I feel about this one. It'll do, I suppose. Ah well, I've been wanting to get Gamori on stage for ages now! Though I do feel kind of bad for Herja...I was starting to like the character I'd created._

_Expect more in the ways of perspectives during the next chapter. Don't think the Norn's have been sitting around twiddling their thumbs as all this has been happening. You'll see what I mean come next time. _

_Also...ten points to whoever can spot the movie reference in here._


	21. Fallen

"God damn you Urd!"

The words froze the goddess in place, halting mid-swing and staring in horror at the door in front of her. It had been Keiichi's screams that had first alerted her to the fact that something was wrong. Keiichi who'd thrown her into a rage, smashing one fist after the other against the magical barrier that covered her door, denying her the freedom Urd so desperately sought. Keiichi who sent her howling in rage and fear, demanding, begging to be released so that she might aid the young man who'd become such a part of her family.

And now his curse, filled with grief and sorrow, paralyzed her. It froze her throat and halted her fists, and something dark and jagged burrowed into her heart. "Keiichi..." The goddess whispered, at a loss at what to say. Than her eyes narrowed to slits, and her assault on the door grew more savage. "Keiichi! Keiichi Morisato, don't you _dare_ forsake me!" She roared, feeling warm tears of pain and rage trickle down her cheeks. "Do you hear me boy? I'll not have you cursing my name! I'm a goddess, do you hear me? Not some damned demon!" Her firsts grew red and raw, and as the pain grew too much to bare, the bronze woman instead moved to lean against the door.

"I'm only trying to protect my family!" The words came out a plea, and Urd grit her teeth. "Please." The words were softer now. "Please Keiichi...don't give up on me now!"

Yet the man did not respond. Only his further screams, now harsh and ragged, met her ears. The goddess squeezed her eyes shut at the sound. Begs. Pleas. Curses. Until even those faded away, leaving the woman in a silence that terrified her.

Urd didn't know how long she stood there, leaning against the door in that silence. It could have been minutes. It could have been hours. There was only an overwhelming sense of loss and confusion, one that puzzled her even as it weighed on her chest. It felt as though she'd failed somewhere. At some point during the past weeks since the whole affair had begun, since meeting two demons on a roof and going mad, it felt as though Urd had failed somewhere in the time since.

Keiichi's words only seemed to drive the nail deeper. Belldandy was sick. Her family was hunted by demons. She was locked away and guarded under tooth and nail by Valkyries. And now, though he spoke not, somewhere, Keiichi was suffering.

The guilt ate at her, and Urd turned her back to the door, sliding to the floor and drawing her knees to her chest. Elbows resting on knees, Urd ran her hands through her hair. "What the hell am I doing?" She asked aloud.

_What you think is right._

It was not her own thought, and Urd felt imaginary arms wrap around her in a gentle embrace. _You acted as you thought you should have, just as you've always done._ World of Elegance whispered. _You cannot be faulted for such actions. _

Urd allowed herself a grim smile at the angel's words, for all they resonated in her head. Her magic bound, her mind was the only place her angel could roam unhindered, incapable of emerging by the same restrictions that halted her magic. "You don't hate me then?" She asked, more in jest than seriousness, and in her mind's eye the angel scoffed.

_Do you hate yourself? For even with the foolish moves you've made in the past, I'm no more capable of hating you than you yourself._ She scolded, and Urd could almost see the finger wave that would have accompanied the words. _Pity is unbecoming of you, Dearheart, now stop playing a fool and pull yourself together._

Urd winced. "You almost sound like _that_ woman when you talk like that." She grumbled, never the less climbing to her feet with a grunt, the forlorn feeling of hopelessness fading with her angel's words.

_Do I now?_ World of Elegance asked. _Than perhaps I am not so much your angel as the subconscious voice of your mother..._

Any residual feelings of pity vanished at those words, and instead a bright flush lightened her cheeks. World of Elegance laughed. _Now come. Surely, amongst the items you own there is something that can null the effects of a simple ward the likes of which aligns your door._

"And if not that, a potion." Urd muttered offhandedly, stepping away from the door with a sense of purpose in her stride.

It was as she was rummaging around in one of her many drawers that Urd heard and audible click, and, the sound resonating from a place other than the drawer she was digging through, the goddess looked up, ears twitching ever-so-slightly as the bronze woman turned towards it's source.

It was from her door, and Urd watched in interest as the bright seal of magic shimmered briefly before fading away. "What the hell?" The goddess straightened, walking quickly back to the wood and reaching for the handle, only for the door to slide open on it's own.

Urd jumped.

Her reflection smiled back.

And just as quickly as she came, her double vanished, turning and sauntering down the hallway towards the exit.

"A doppelganger?" Urd croaked. "_Here_?" The goddess bolted out into the hallway, surprise further dawning in violet eyes that fell on first the Valkyrie, than the demon that trailed after her look-a-like. "Mara?" The silver-haired woman made to grab the demon by the shoulder, and as her hand rested on the silk of the demon's uniform, the blonde turned to her.

"No." Mara shook her head, a look that alluded Urd resting in red cat-eyes. "Not here. Not now." She whispered, jerking her head in the other direction. "Keiichi and that other Valkyrie need help." The demon brushed Urd's hand off her shoulder before continuing after Urd's double.

Urd could only gape at the demon for a brief moment before Mara's words sank in, and the woman turned and bolted the other direction, Keiichi's name on her lips that died in her throat as she came upon the man. Instead came a gasp, and from where Keiichi sat, his hands pressed hard on the back of the fallen Valkyrie, the man looked up. His eyes were red and puffy and looked hollow and void, and when he spoke his voice was flat and defeated.

"Damn you." He whispered. "Get the hell away from me. I'm not going to let you finish what you started."

The words cut like a knife and Urd recalled her reflection, smiling at the goddess with a mischievous twinkle in her eye with Mara and the other Valkyrie, Eir, close behind. Rage replaced the hate, and it burned dully in her chest as Urd approached the man, slowly and carefully. "Keiichi." she murmured, struggling to keep her voice steady and calm. "That wasn't me. That was someone else." She spread her hands out and open in earnest. "Let me help. I can help her. I can save her."

The goddess moved to rest her hands on top Keiichi's, and the man jerked back as though burned, his hands leaving the bloody shirt on the Valkyrie's back and allowing Urd to take over. As her palms grew wet and sticky Urd allowed her senses to spread outward, her eyes half-closing as she searched for the soft glow of Herja's life force. "She's still alive." It was small, but still there; a tiny flame wavering violently as it fought to hold it's strength. "I can help her, but I'm going to need you to trust me. Help me save her, Keiichi."

Urd didn't so much see Keiichi move closer as she felt him. There was a hesitation to his actions filled with a distrust that stung, and once more Urd found herself forced to push the feelings away. "I'm going to tell you everything I'm about to do, understand?"

The young man didn't respond, simply looked at her, his face gaunt and eyes accusing, and suddenly Urd wanted to smack him, to grab Keiichi by his naked shoulders and shake him, scream at him that it wasn't _her _that had caused so much to befall the Valkyrie, but someone else. Someone that wore her face and spoke with her voice.

The goddess pushed the thoughts away. "Alright. We're going to need to move her to my room and than get some hot water and some matches. I can't use my magic, so I'm going to need to cauterize her wounds some other way. She's lost a lot of blood already and can't afford to loose anymore. Understand?"

A grunt from Keiichi was the closest she got to an affirmation, and with hands already growing sticky and slick with blood, Urd licked her lips. "Right." Urd swallowed nervously. "Let's do this."

* * *

The night was dark with chaos.

A wolf with a rattle-tipped tail howled as it launched itself at a woman with silver-blue hair. Armed with an ax, the Valkyrie chopped and lunged at the beast, her movements fast yet the beast's faster still. A distance away, a black haired woman danced with a black bird the size of a man and garbed in a Lord's dress. The woman with a longsword and the bird with a saber, they darted in and out of range, striking at weaknesses and darting out of the range of opposing steel. High above their heads a winged hound circled, it's howls loud and booming and echoing through the forest.

Had Skuld been told earlier that day she would be privy to such events she'd have laughed openly. Yet somehow, someway, here she was, scrambling away from a demon that had burst into a living flame.

_All I was trying to do was get a glass of water._ The child thought miserably, ducking as the burning demon tossed a fireball at her. _And before I know it I'm following a bunch of Valkyries after the big, bad wolf. _The man brought his heel into the ground, and Skuld did her best to scamper away as the earth beneath her feet exploded in dirt and cinder. Debris rained down upon her head, hard and uncomfortably hot, and Skuld darted further away.

A grimace on her face, the child dug into her blouse, withdrawing the small bombs she stored in a small pocket dimension stitched into the inside of her shirt. "Here!" She snarled, tossing one, than two at the burning man. "You like explosions so much, eat these!" The projectiles bounced off the demon's chest before he thought to dodge, exploding in his face and propelling the man backwards.

The man skidded to the ground a distance away, leaving a light furrow of dirt in his passing. He finally came to a halt a short distance from where Lind and the snake-wolf dueled, and the man raised his head to look at her from the black pits that had become the burning man's eyes. Snake-wolf howled, and Fireman rolled to his left as Lind's ax came down upon his form. The weapon lodged itself in the earth, and momentarily stuck, the burning man hopped to his feet and lunged at the woman.

Lind managed to pull her ax from the ground with just enough time to guard against his heated hands, yet the demon's weight and momentum sent them both to the ground. Together, Valkyrie and Goetia rolled, fighting for control of Lind's ax and leaving scorch marks in their wake. The wolf pulled back, baring its fangs in a snarl as it looked to the two.

"Hey! Don't count me out just yet!" Skuld cried, racing after the fiery demon and instead gaining the attention of Lind's prior opponent. The wolf released a howl so deafening Skuld had to cover her ears, and as the two warriors tossed and tumbled on the ground the beast leaped over them, racing towards the young goddess with ivory fangs gleaming. The child froze in her tracks as the beast stampeded towards her. "Shit."

Turning, Skuld started back the way she came, the wolf chasing after her setting off the most basic fight or flight instinct in her, sending the lass off like a rabbit. Such an act only seemed to encourage the creature, and before Skuld could withdraw another bomb from her blouse, a great weight collided with her back and knocked the girl to the ground.

Skuld released a pained grunt as her body impacted the earth, and she could feel the pinpricks of the wolf's claws dig none too kindly into her back. The wolf's breath panted in her ear, and as Skuld looked up the youth saw little 'sides a muzzle filled with gleaming fangs grinning down at her. Two of its largest canines looked hollow, and from them came a substance that held too much an unnatural hue to be saliva.

_Poison._ Skuld struggled from beneath the beast, yet all it earned her was an irritated rattle and a threatening growl from the creature. Fear wrapped painfully around her heart, and still staring up into those gleaming jaws, Skuld froze once more. _Almighty, don't let this thing bite me._ She whispered in her mind._ I don't want to be poisoned._

It seemed somebody, somewhere, was listening to her prayers, for the wolf did nothing aside from pin her to the ground. In fact, the creature went so far as to make itself comfortable, releasing a large yawn before laying down atop the girl, effectively pinning the goddess, hands, legs, feet and arms, beneath its mass as the fighting continued on around the two. _Oh, now what the hell is this?_ Skuld screamed in her head, the wolf's weight enough to make the girl wheeze as she fought to expand her chest and fill her lungs.

The youth struggled beneath the wolf, yet nothing but another warning growl escaped the beast's throat. _This is no battle for children._ A voice, male and rough, resonated in her mind. _I will let no child of mine participate in such a thing. _A hissing rattle roared above Skuld's head in emphasis, and the child flinched.

Father away, ignorant of the fate that had befallen the child, Badb Catha continued her duel with the bird lord, parrying a sweep aimed at her left side before countering with a diagonal slash towards the demon's right shoulder. The black bird sidestepped the attack, bringing his own blade up to block. The steel shrieked as metal ground against metal, and Badb Catha bore her weight down on the Goetia. The demon shifted his weight and slid back, allowing both weapons to slide to the ground.

Not allowing the demon to gain the advantage, Badb Catha stepped into the downward swing, one hand falling from the hilt of her blade and balling into a fist of concentrated black energy. The woman launched her fist at the Goetia, and though the demon ducked to her right, the Valkyrie still managed to graze his wing. Black bolts of electricity danced up the wing and onto the demon's body, and the bird released an agonizing shriek as it recoiled.

Lind seemed to be fairing less successfully than her commander, having only just regained control of her weapon despite the fiery demon's best efforts. Yet the stony woman had her work cut out for her, for though her blows seemed to keep the burning Goetia at bay, it left her open for the attacks of one of the demon's comrades. And the winged hound wasted no time in its attacks against the Valkyrie either, unleashing bark after howl of spells that summoned darts from thin air, glowing a gold that reflected the beasts eyes as they launched themselves at Valkyrie and Goetia. The magic seemed to hold little regards for who or what lay beneath the canine's wings, and the darts fell from the sky in a hail of metallic screams, forcing those below to duck and dodge the projectiles lest they be skewered.

This wasn't fun anymore. Skuld wanted the whole thing to stop. She wanted this damn snake-wolf off her and she wanted the demons gone. She wanted Lind and her Valkyries to leave her family alone and she wanted Belldandy healthy and smiling again. _Get off of me!_ And now she couldn't even help Lind protect her family.

Something-several somethings, in fact-darted out from her home, and Skuld watched in bafflement as Urd and Mara ran into view, making a beeline for the trees. The pink-haired Valkyrie that had threatened to kill her from before was a short distance behind, yet when the demon and goddess passed the dueling Valkyries and Goetia, the younger warrior instead shifted towards her comrades, forgetting the duo she pursued in favor of aiding her fellows.

Urd and Mara seemed not to notice, and as the duo continued their dash towards the safety of the trees, they younger Valkyrie-Eir, Skuld thought- leaped for the hound in the sky, a scream tearing from her throat and mixing with the howl of the canine as a large halberd appeared above her head. The youth grabbed the weapon, and with a roar brought it down upon the beast, knocking it from the sky as the blade came down upon it's back. There was a sharp, pained whine from the demon as blade met fur, and then the creature was flying to the ground.

Its whine did not go unheard, and as the dog's body went crashing towards the earth, Lind and the burning man separated from their own fight, dodging towards opposite ends of the battlefield as the winged canine crashed into the spot where both warriors had fought moments ago. Eir followed the beast down, halberd raised menacingly, yet before she could finish the beast with one final strike, the snake-wolf on top of Skuld sat up.

A long and haunting howl reverberated from its throat, seeming to echo across the battlefield that had once been a shrine's courtyard and gain the attention of one and all. Eir's blade fell short of its intended target, yet the hound beneath her seemed not to notice, its gaze focused on the wolf with a rattle for a tail. Lind and her burning man both came to a sliding halt, near colliding with each other from their charge towards one another while Badb Catha and the bird lord paused in their duel, blades locked as they tried to force steel on their opponent.

Now the wolf rose to its feet, and Skuld managed to scurry out from beneath the demon's legs as another howl, this time backed with the hiss of a rattle, echoed through the courtyard. It was a sign. For suddenly their came a flurry of motion. The burning man's flames went out, and where once a fiery demon stood a red haired man took its place. Without warning he turned from Lind, his prior opponent, and ran for the trees. The bird lord's feathers regressed into it's body, leaving once more a man, this one with layers of black hair in its place. He broke the lock of his swords with the War Crow and chased after his comrade. The hound rolled to its feet and loped after the men, easily passing his companions and disappearing into the cover of trees.

Finally, only the snake-wolf was left, his howl dieing into nothing as the others disappeared from the makeshift battlefield. Shakily, Skuld picked herself up, eying the wolf warily and taking a step back, one hand reaching towards her blouse to withdraw a bomb. Yet the beast seemed to smell her plan, wheeling on the girl with a snap, his jaws, large enough to engulf her head, snapping down on her arm like a vice.

Skuld screamed and jerked her arm back, yet the jaws were strong and held no give, and so instead the child slipped in the dirt and fell to her rump. The girl hit the earth with a grunt, and from one eye, red and slit like Mara's, like a _snake's_, the wolf glared at her. _Stop this foolishness now, Child._ The voice from before echoed in Skuld's head. _It is time for us to depart._ The wolf tugged at her arm in emphasis, and at that moment Skuld realized that while the grip was painful, it was not the agonizing pain of a wolf bite.

The wolf's grip was strong and pinching, yet she could still see her arm in the creature's maw, the flesh still whole and the cloth solid, held away from the long canines that even now, still glistened with a serpent's venom.

Skuld gaped at the creature in disbelief, wondering at the strange display of behavior and just _what _the beast wanted her to do.

Ears laid flat against its head and a growl rumbling in its throat, again the wolf tugged at her arm, a silent urge for her to move, and a prisoner to jaws that could crush her arm, Skuld obeyed. Carefully, she picked herself up off the ground, and when once more the snake-wolf tugged she stepped towards it. The tail swayed dangerously once, the rattle shaking lazily-what did that mean? Did she do something wrong? Something right?-and the wolf pulled back, half-leading, half-dragging the young goddess.

The demon made it perhaps five feet before the forgotten Valkyries descended upon it.

"Release her."

Skuld knew that voice; she'd come to know it very well over the last several hours. It came from above, and when the child looked up, her gaze fell upon the owner of the voice and those she'd descended with.

Lind did not look happy.

A hissing growl rose from the demon's throat, and when Skuld looked back to the wolf, she witnessed red eyes flash in rage. Its rattle hissed ominously, and its jaws parted enough to release Skuld's arm. The girl yanked her arm from it's maw faster than she'd thought possible, and sensing the oncoming battle, scrambled away from the wolf. If the beast noticed, it paid her no mind, its gaze too heavily focused on the trio of women hovering above its head.

Lind lashed out with her ax, the movement so swift Skuld was unable to follow it, and seemingly just as fast the wolf struck, rows of sharp teeth snapping down on the ax pole even as the blade buried itself in the ground before the beast. The sky-haired woman did not hesitate though, and with a roar she lurched her weapon from where it lay buried, sending blade and pole and wolf skywards.

The beast released its grip upon the ax pole, and momentum thrust the beast above the heads of the Valkyries sky bound. Before Lind could retaliate with another attack, the creature's maw parted and a great burst of flame spewed forth, spreading down upon those beneath the wolf in a blanket of red.

A trio of cries arose as the flames descended, and the wolf twisted its body in the air to angle its descent away from the burning Valkyries. As soon as its paws hit the ground it was off in a gallop, racing towards the trees much as its brethren had and pausing only to look back as it approached the tree-line. The fire was clearing from around the warriors, and smoke wafted up from a pair of spectral-black wings that emerged from the Mad Crow's back, raised high above the heads of the trio of females and protecting them from the dying flames.

Skuld stared in amazement, her gaze darting from the Valkyries to the wolf at the woods, who panted and howled, pacing between the safety of the trees and the openness of the courtyard. Its gaze never left Skuld's.

"Lind!" Eir shouted, and Skuld jumped as the Valkyrie in question flew towards the wolf-snake. The wolf snarled at the pale-haired woman, and with one last look to Skuld, it bounded off into the shelter of the forest, vanishing into the darkness. A murder of crows took to the air in a mass of shrieks and caws at the beast's departure, and as the birds descended upon the courtyard, Lind came to a sliding halt.

The woman looked back to the two Valkyries and Skuld, and the child watched as the many black winged birds moved to settle on the ground of the courtyard or the roof of the shrine, some even moving to rest upon the red _tori_ that arched over the staircase to the base of the shrine. The massive audience regarded the women with beady red eyes, an intimidating mass that caused even Lind to pause in her doings.

The warrior's eyes darted from the many eyes to Badb Catha, who watched the younger woman with a frown. The two locked gazes, and from Skuld's perspective, it seemed as though some silent message was passed between the two. Finally, after a long moment of silence, the sky-haired Valkyrie dropped her gaze from her leader. With one last look back to the trees, the goddess turned and jogged back to the the small group, ignoring the aggravated squawks from the many crows that hopped and fluttered out of her path.

A white-gloved hand thrust itself into Skuld's view, and the girl looked up into the red gaze of the Mad Crow, the woman's gaze calm yet curious. The dark-haired lass grabbed the offered hand and allowed the warrior to hoist the youth onto her feet.

"Thanks." Skuld muttered, and the woman tilted her head to one side in question. Taking a wild guess at what the action meant, Skuld said, "I'm alright. That...wolf didn't really hurt me or anything." She held her arm, still wet with the wolf's saliva, out for the dark woman's inspection. "See?"

Badb Catha gently took the arm, inspecting it with lithe hands that felt as light as the feathers of a bird against her skin. When the Valkyrie was satisfied that Skuld had been telling the truth and was uninjured, the red-eyed woman released Skuld's arm once more.

"Lady Catha." Eir approached the duo silently, and when the lead Valkyrie turned to regard the younger warrior, Eir looked down. "Lady Catha, we need to go back inside. Herja is...she's been..." The pink-haired woman trailed off, and a look of remorse settled on her features.

A deep frown marred Badb Catha's face at the words, and as Lind approached, the woman settled it upon the ax-barer. The woman nodded, a grimace on her face. "Understood. Let's go see Herja."

* * *

Urd leaned back against the wall of her room with a sigh. Exhausted, she allowed her gaze to drift to Keiichi, who leaned across from her, propped up against her bed. A blanket covered his bare shoulders, and in the bed he leaned against, the still form of Herja rested. The woman was alive, but just barely. _I don't think she'd have made it if Keiichi hadn't reacted the way he did._

The man obviously had no medical experience. What, if any, he might have had probably came from safety classes from his own motor club, where accidents were prone to happen at any time while working on any one of the many vehicles that came to them. Yet still, he'd had enough sense to try and halt the blood flow, and it had only been just enough. _Even still...she needs to get out of this dimension. I'm not a doctor. I can't operate on her. The most I can do is stop the blood and bind her wounds. Maybe give her something to ease the pain. I can't _heal_ her with how injured she is now._

The woman ran her hands through her hair, closing her eyes and tapping one foot in thought. This wasn't Belldandy. Poisons were easily taken care of with the right potion. This was a woman who had holes larger than Urd's fist in her back, someone who no doubt had damaged internal organs. It was a miracle Herja was still _breathing _ right now.

Violet eyes opened once more to regard Keiichi, finding the young man staring intently at her. The mechanic had yet to speak to her despite the numerous amounts of poking and prodding the goddess had done, trying hard to get some sort of explanation out of the man. All attempts had been proven failures, unfortunately, the woman receiving at most a grunt from the man. Perhaps he was still in shock? Whatever the reason, at least he no longer thought she was going to kill the poor Valkyrie. Keiichi had allowed her to work on the fallen woman to the best of Urd's ability and had responded to any of her needs, yet still they remained tense around each other. Keiichi was still seeing the one responsible for the attack as the woman before him and Urd herself was unable to forget nor forgive his hostile attitude towards her, in particularly the cursing of her name. A gap had arisen between the two-one that would doubtlessly remain with between the two of them for a good long while yet.

Urd licked her lips nervously, disliking the scrutiny from the mortal before her. "Come on." She said. "Let's let her rest. She's stable for now and I think the others have a right to know what happened."

The silver-haired woman rose with a grunt, dusting her self off in the process and watching as Keiichi rose as well, the blanket still clutched tightly over his shoulders. The dark-haired man looked down at the woman who'd taken over Urd's bed, and for a moment a look of hesitation dawned in his dark eyes. Urd could already see the direction his thoughts were taking him, and before Keiichi could dwell further on the matter the goddess spoke once more.

"Keiichi...we've done all we can for her. There is nothing more either of us can do. Let's leave her be for now." _Whether she lives or dies, there isn't anything we can do. Watching her sleep isn't going to anyone, especially Herja, any good. _"Besides, I'm certain Belldandy would like to see you again. Especially after that ruckus you and the others caused. I'll bet she's twitching with worry right now."

A look of guilt spread upon Keiichi's face at the mention of Belldandy, and again Urd could only guess at the thoughts running through the young man's mind. _I'll bet he's forgotten all about Belldandy with__ what's happened to Herja. _

"Belldandy..." Keiichi muttered mournfully. The man glanced one last time to Herja, than to Urd, as though asking if it was alright for him to leave the wounded woman's side. Urd smiled wanly before approaching the man, gently resting her hands on his shoulders. The smile grew larger when Keiichi didn't flinch at her touch as he had earlier, perhaps to distracted by the thought of Belldandy to remember his misgivings towards the goddess.

"Come on. I'd recommend a shirt before seeing her. The Almighty knows how Belldandy will react to you bare-chested in her current state. I'll explain Herja to Lind and the others." Carefully, she guided Keiichi out of the room, Keiichi offering minimal resistance as they exited the room and entered the hallway. It was Urd who sent one last glance to the resting Valkyrie before finally sighing and shutting the wood behind her. _We've done all we can._ She reminded herself, the smile she'd displayed to Keiichi falling. _Herja's fate lies within the Powers That Be now._

The hallway was still a mess from whatever it was that had created the injures on Herja. Urd did her best to ignore the burn marks and bloodstains, watching as Keiichi did much the same and made a beeline for Belldandy's room, Urd's words prior all but ignored or forgotten in his current state. _A treat for Belldandy than._ She thought. _An unwanted one in her state, but I don't have the heart to try and keep Keiichi away from Belldandy after everything he's been through._

Further down the hallway Urd heard the front door slide open, and as Keiichi disappeared inside Belldandy's room, Urd took a deep breath. _Time to face the Inquisition._ The goddess squared her shoulders and walked down the hallway towards the entrance.

She was almost barreled over by the pink-haired youth she'd seen with Mara and her doppelganger, and the young Valkyrie jumped back as though the silver-haired woman was poison. _What the hell. Does everyone view me as so despicable or did one of those demons bomb me with some sort of people repellent?_ Urd thought moodily to herself. _I'm getting really tired of this shit..._

Ignorant of the thoughts running through the dark woman's mind, Eir backed away, her mouth parting in shock as she pointed at Urd. "But you-the barrier-and then-"

Lind and the Mad Crow appeared behind the youth, and behind _them_ Urd spied Skuld peaking around Badb Catha's back. Urd cut the young woman off before she stutter anything else out.

"Would you believe me if I told you a doppelganger let me out?"

Lind raised an eyebrow. "You didn't run."

A statement more than a question, Urd shrugged her shoulders helplessly. "What good would it do? There's no place I could run to, and..." The bronze woman grimaced and looked back behind her towards the hallway. "...And Herja needed my help.

The group fell into a silence, and when Urd looked back to the pack of Valkyries, Badb Catha had taken Eir's place. The red-eyed woman rested a hand on Urd's shoulder, and the grip was tight and painful, and the expression on the woman's face was drawn and urgent.

"Where is she?" Lind's voice was soft, but if they were for Urd's benefit or the Catha's, Urd could have just as easily told the woman to save her breath. The Mad Crow may not have had a voice, yet her actions proved words enough for Urd, and without a word of her own Urd turned back down the hallway.

The Valkyries followed behind the goddess in a train, and as they approached Urd's room, the silver-haired woman paused. She looked back down the hallway and her eyes landed on Skuld, whose gaze darted this way and that at some scorched piece of wood or the heavy droplets of red that marred the surface of other areas.

"Skuld." The child looked up at the sound of her name, brown eyes large and wide, filled with an emotion that took Urd a moment to realize was fear. "I want you to go check on Belldandy for me, okay?"

The girl hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty dawning in her eyes. "But...I want to see Herja too. Eir said-"

Urd cut her off. "I don't care what Eir said." She snapped, and the girl flinched at the older woman's tone. Urd grimaced before continuing, her tone softening. "Herja...she's not in the best of shape right now, Skuld. I don't want too many people crowding around her right now, and I need someone to go and make sure Belldandy is okay. Keiichi's with her right now, but he's only human, and right now I think he needs to be watched just as much as Belldandy."

A part of her hated herself for throwing Keiichi to the wolves like that, but at the same time she acknowledged that the man was barely in his right mind after witnessing the events that must have lead to Herja's downfall, and the idea of another goddess, even if it was Skuld, watching over him and Belldandy was better than nothing.

Besides, Skuld didn't need to see Herja in her current state.

"Listen to what your sister tells you." Lind shifted to rest a hand on the girl's shoulder, and Skuld looked up with a frown. "Before the Goetia attacked, it had been Herja's job to watch Keiichi for any signs that his immune system might fail. We still need someone to watch him. Will you take Herja's place for us while we check on her?"

Skuld bit her lip. "Will you let me know how Herja's doing if I do?"

Lind nodded, and Skuld sighed. "Alright." She crossed her hands over her chest. "I guess _someone_ needs to make sure Keiichi isn't doing anything pervy to Belldandy anyways." The girl scowled and Lind removed her hand from her shoulder, allowing the child to depart into Belldandy's room.

It wasn't until Skuld had shut the door and the wood remained shut for several seconds that Urd returned her attention to the Valkyries before her. The goddess chewed the inside of her lip before beginning. "Listen, I don't know the details about how Herja got this way, but here's what I can tell you about her condition...

* * *

Belldandy looked up at the sound of her door once again opening and closing. This time, it was Skuld who appeared,the girl's expression one filled with worry and unease. A different variety from the look that had adorned Keiichi's face upon entering, still the look twisted Belldandy's heart painfully.

"Skuld." Belldandy croaked, her throat still raw yet not causing her the pain it had upon first awakening. It was a sure sign that Urd's vial potion was doing it's work, and though the goddess grimaced at the sound of her own voice, Belldandy decided that she could tolerate it well enough.

A ghost of a smile flitted across the child's face, gone as quickly as it appeared, and Skuld approached her sister. "How are you feeling?" The youth asked, moving to sit next to Belldandy's futon.

Belldandy smiled. "Better." The brunette scrunched her nose up in displeasure. "Though one would not know it by the sound of my voice." Her words had the intended affect as some of the tension eased from Skuld's shoulders and a more honest smile, small though it was, appeared on her face.

"That's good." The child's eyes drifted around the room, and Belldandy followed the gaze as it came to settle on Keiichi, resting against the opposing wall from Skuld. The man leaned propped up against the wall in an uneasy sleep, his face displaying his agitation even in his rest and Urd's blanket still resting wrapped around his shoulders. "...What's wrong with Keiichi?"

"He's exhausted himself." Belldandy responded. "From what he was able to tell me, Keiichi expended all his energy saving Herja, and it's left him exhausted on every aspect of his soul." The man hadn't been able to withhold his despair when he'd entered Belldandy's room. He hadn't awakened her-the screams from earlier had done a fine enough job of that-yet it wasn't until the Norn had gently prodded him that Keiichi had unburdened himself on Belldandy.

The goddess had never seen him in such an emotional state before, perhaps the only instant that came close being with the threat of Belldandy's death in the realms of Niflhiem. The Norn had comforted the man the best she could in her current state, and when finally he'd finished, Keiichi had almost collapsed upon her.

The knowledge he'd shared with her had disturbed Belldandy, and perhaps sensing something of a related subject growing within her younger sister, the goddess chose her words carefully. "Keiichi did a good thing, Skuld. A very good thing. Keiichi and Urd both."

The elder Norn lapsed into silence as Skuld shifted her gaze to her sister. "It's Herja, isn't it?" The girl asked quietly. "Eir said something bad happened to her. She said two demons tried to kill Herja. She said Keiichi was trying to keep her alive, but..." The girl trailed off, her gaze falling to the ground. "I don't really like Eir. Not after the way she threatened me and Urd. But...Herja's not that bad. Even though she and Urd fought, Herja stopped Eir from hurting me. She let me go back to Urd, even though it was Urd she was after. She's got a pretty singing voice, too. Kind of like yours, but different. And it's weird that she sings when she fights, but still..."

The child's hands clenched into fists, gripping the cloth of her pants tightly. "Eir-she's lying, right? A Valkyrie wouldn't fall to a pair of demons like that, would she? Valkyries are supposed to be strong, they aren't supposed to be beaten like that! It's not like she was fighting Hild or anything, right?"

Belldandy shifted to rest a hand on top of Skuld's. _Has this woman had such an affect on you child? Or is it the possibility of her death that scares you so, dear child?_ "It's hard to say, Skuld. For all that we view the Valkyries as the warriors they are, they are not invincible. They bleed, just as we, and hod the same fears and dreams that we have."

The child grit her teeth, and when Belldandy moved to pull Skuld into an embrace, the youth did not resist. Held within Belldandy's arms, Skuld buried her face in her elder sister's nightgown, and Belldandy rested her chin on top Skuld's head. The girl released the pent-up anxiety in her chest then, and as the sobs came, muffled as they were, Belldandy stroked her head, fighting back against the tightness that clung black and ugly in her breast.

The idea of death, especially when it was so close, was never easy. While not unfamiliar with it-few gods of her age rarely were-Belldandy was uncertain on how to deal with it. Herja might die, and there was nothing anyone could do about it. When faced with such a grim truth at a younger age, Belldandy had always turned to Urd, to Celestine, for guidance.

Yet Celestine had passed on in what had come to feel like ages now, Urd bearing the weight of responsibility explaining the very situation Belldandy was at a loss with to Lind and the others. _Were it that I was as strong as either of you in such a fearsome presence._ And now she'd come to find herself in a position that had once been Urd's to bare, trying to explain death to a younger sibling.

On the other side of the door, a howl, long and mournful, shattered the silence of the shrine.

* * *

Urd's world exploded into stars as her head connected with the wall. The goddess grunted, and through the dots of light that littered her vision, the Norn saw Badb Catha. A snarl adorned the woman's face, and flecks of gold flickered in enraged red eyes. The silver-haired woman grimaced and tried to speak, finding her voice betrayed her. _Probably has something to do with the hand around your throat._ Urd thought dumbly, the stars increasing even when she blinked and a steady beat resonating in her ears.

Something slipped from Urd's fingers, and violet eyes drifted to see what it was. Ah, that's right, the black scarf she'd grabbed when the Mad Crow had snapped. _I'd forgotten about that scar._ A pair of arms wrapped around Badb Catha's torso, and Lind's head appeared above one of the Crow's shoulders, shouting something in the older woman's ear. The thrumming in Urd's ears had grown so loud the woman couldn't hear what was said.

Eir was next, the smaller girl slipping expertly in-between Valkyrie and goddess and prying away at the fingers so content to cut off Urd's supply of air. The young woman grabbed the Crow's wrist with one hand and slammed her arm down on the bend of the elbow with another. Badb Catha gave a mute snarl, and her hand popped free from Urd's throat.

The goddess dropped to the ground coughing, and she took a deep breath as the precious air that had been denied to her filled her lungs. The bronze woman gasped, choked, and coughed some more as the stars in front of her eyes slowly faded from sight. She could still hear the beat of her own heart, but even that slowly began to fade, and in its place the shouts of Lind and Eir took its place.

"Lady Catha, calm down! It isn't Urd's fault!" Together, Lind and Eir dragged the heated Valkyrie away from the goddess, and slowly, Urd crawled to her feet. Now, her wits returning to her, Urd kept herself pressed firmly against that wall, eying the Mad Crow warily as one hand tenderly touched her throat.

"Eir's right, Badb Catha. Urd can't be held responsible for what happened." Lind adjusted her hold on Badb Catha, better securing the dark woman. Her gaze darted from Urd to where Herja rested, and Urd was not blind to the flash of pain that dwelled within those light orbs when the gaze returned to the Norn. "I'm certain Urd did everything in her power to ensure Herja survived-"

The Valkyrie's head lashed back into Lind's face, and stunned, Lind's grip on the older woman faltered. Badb Catha broke free of woman's grasp, and before either Valkyrie could react, grabbed Eir by both the girl's arms and threw her into one of the many cabinets that adorned the leftmost wall. The pink-haired youth released a shout as her body collided with the wood, and above her heads the many lines of potions and ingredients that lined the shelves trembled warily. Some even fell to the ground, bouncing and rolling on the floor, none the worse for wear.

Urd didn't even notice, launching herself away from the wall she was pressed against even as the Mad Crow lurched towards her. Blinded by her own anger, the Crow's swipe at the Norn missed, and Urd dropped into a roll that allowed the limb to fly harmlessly over her head. _Have to get out. Herja's-_

Urd howled as a metal boot collided into her shins, and the goddess hit the ground hard, rolling to her side and wrapping her arms around her wounded leg gingerly. Her shin burned and throbbed, and the Norn grimaced, looking up to her assailant and finding Badb Catha reaching for her once more. Magic, dark and threatening, sparked and snapped across the Valkyrie's hand, and Urd flinched away.

_Of all the times for my magic to be sealed!_ Urd snarled in her mind, the metal around her wrist pressing coldly into her thigh. She couldn't even feel the presence of her own magic, the bind was so strong, empty of the warmth that had always been present, even when Urd had drained herself entirely.

The Valkyrie moved to grab her by the collar, and Urd screamed as the alien magic assaulted her form. The elder Norn lashed out in pain, surprising herself when, rather than pull away from the tug, Urd instead moved with it. A snarl as beastial as any demons escaped the silver-haired woman's throat, and Urd's mouth snapped down on Badb Catha's wrist.

The goddess bit down where the end of the Valkyrie's sleeve met the beginning of the glove, an area where the cloth was thin and the flesh beneath delicate, and as the Crow's magic coursed across her body, Urd's bite only grew more violent. The woman thrashed and twisted against the magic, and her teeth seemed only to burrow deeper into the opposing woman's flesh.

It was Badb Catha who tore her grip away first, Urd perhaps incapable of releasing her hold in her spasm. The woman wrenched her wrist from Urd's mouth, and released from Badb Catha's attack, Urd dropped silently to the ground. As the Valkyrie clutched her wrist to her chest, the bronze woman picked herself up with a grunt, glaring at the Mad Crow from beneath silver bangs. She spat at the woman's feet, unsurprised by the red that landed on the toe of one boot.

Lind and Eir approached from behind the Valkyrie, and perhaps for that reason Badb Catha did not raise a hand against the goddess. Yet even still, the two younger warriors were not able to hold back the dark-haired woman's gaze; fiery, smoldering red. Ones that danced with molten gold, fading in and out of each other wildly and seemingly unable to decide on which color was dominant.

Urd had come across such a gaze only once. As a child, such a gaze had frightened her, yet now the silver-haired goddess found an anger of her own fending away any sort of fear that gaze might have held over her. "I did everything I could." Her voice came out in a low growl. "_Keiichi_ did everything he could. She was alive. We managed to keep her alive. We...I...only stepped out for a second, just to find you and your troupe. She was _fine_, Badb Catha. She was _alive_." Urd slammed a fist into the ground in emphasis. It throbbed angrily.

"I don't know what happened. _Understand_? It could have been anything! Something I couldn't see, something that might have shifted incorrectly when Keiichi and I were trying to save her. Fuck, for all I know, maybe there was nothing we could have done to save her! But I lie to you not, Badb Catha. I did _not_ kill Herja!"

Her words came out a scream, and as the denial left her lips, so too did an uneasy, tense silence descend upon the inhabitants of the room. Urd had given voice to the truth none of the others had wished to speak, and now the air thickened with tension. For a long moment, Urd and Badb Catha merely stared each other down, a battle of wills between the burning red-gold gaze staring hatefully down into piercing violet that danced with rage.

"I think it would be in everyone's best interest if we moved Herja to another room." Lind's voice was deafening in its silence, and gently she rested a hand on the Mad Crow's shoulder, bringing herself under the elder woman's scrutiny. The pale-haired Valkyrie did not flinch. "We do Herja a great dishonor, treating her like this. I know of no Valkyrie, no _woman_, who would wish to be fought over in such a manner. And _in front of her_ no less." The younger woman swept her free arm out to where Herja's body lay resting, bundled tightly in Urd's blankets.

Both woman had enough decency to look ashamed at Lind's words; Urd being only able to look at Herja's body for so long before dropping her gaze, whereas Badb Catha stared long and hard at the Valkyrie's body.

"Badb Catha, I cannot say much for whatever you may think of a cur like Urd." The Valkyrie pointedly ignored the dirty look Urd sent her at the insult. "I myself cannot say much for her. However, when we were called away by a pack of Goetia, leaving Herja to whatever wolves attacked her, it was Keiichi and _Urd_ who made the move to save her. It was Urd's quick thinking and potions that helped cease the blood flow. Urd's hands that bound her wounds. Urd who, despite the blood that no doubt coats her hands, managed to keep Herja alive for just that small bit longer." Lind pointed. "Look at whose bed she lies in, whose blankets she is bound securely in. If Urd were truly responsible for Herja's death, do you think she would have gone through half the effort you see before you? Would a guilty woman allow a dead woman to rest in her bed?"

The Valkyrie snorted before turning her gaze to Urd, who'd come to sit warily on her knees, eying Lind in mistrust. "Yet it seems you would be no better, provoking Badb Catha when you _know_ she is in enough pain already. You know already you are a prisoner, that you are accountable for all your actions in our presence. Urd, are you _intentionally _trying to sentence yourself to a sealment? To something worse? Attacking a Valkyrie, even if done only in self-defense, in your situation will only further damn you in the eyes of the heaven's elite."

The Valkyrie moved away from her leader and towards Urd's bed, pausing only long enough to lean down and scoop Herja's body up in her arms. "Let us have no more fighting on either side." Lind said, turning and walking towards the exit of Urd's room. "For Herja's sake, if no one else." The woman exited the room with her fallen comrade, leaving the others in silence.

Eir looked anxiously between Badb Catha and the door, seemingly torn on who to follow before biting her lip and chasing after Lind. It left the Crow with the Norn, and Urd looked at the woman with hostile eyes. "Well? You heard your Wolf." She growled. "Go and follow your murder, Crow."

A snarl seeped into the elder woman's features, and those black sparks that had hurt so much before hand danced across the fire-eyed woman's arms. Urd tensed, the hairs on the back of her neck rising in alarm and her body tensing in preparation for the inevitable attack. Yet just as quickly as they appeared, the sparks dissipated, and with one last mute snarl, Badb Catha whirled around, following her troops and disappearing through the door as well.

Urd watched the woman go, her own anger raging across her face. "Damn it all!" The woman screamed, smashing a fist down into the ground she sat on. The woman grit her teeth, watching as her sight grew hazy through tears that couldn't quite bring themselves to fall. A high growl exited her throat, and Urd picked herself up, moving towards the bed Herja had one laid in and sitting on the bare sheets. "What am I supposed to do?" She asked aloud, her voice a whisper near-unheard in the quiet of her room. The goddess buried her face in her hands.

She never noticed the sizable dent in the floor, the effects of her rage brought to life.

Nor how it sparked with a red electricity.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Crap, finally done. It took me a while to get back into the thick of things after spending the gods know how long on my part of the AGM Reboot. Anyways, don't think this means the updates will be coming faster-if anything, expect even slower updates do to my work._


	22. Dragonian Melody

_It was dark, and growing darker still. She was sinking down towards it, seeming to drown, though no liquid filled her lungs. Above her, where the void grew bright, the voice of the boy shouted nonsense to the darkness. She couldn't understand the words he howled, for his voice was muffled as though speaking through some thick veil. _

_A part of her wondered if perhaps she should rise to the voice, yet when she began to swim through the void towards the light, her body grew stiff with pain. Images, faces, once familiar to her and now holding no names in her mind, flitted through her mind and with it accompanied a deep, soul-wrenching pain. She hesitated, unsure if she wished to continue towards the light. _

_And so, though the voice grew stronger as she rose, more recognizable, understandable, still she turned her back from it. She allowed herself to sink instead, and as the blackness engulfed her, a sense of peace spread across her body. The flares of pain that had lashed across her torso faded, and the tension that had mounted with the voice began to fade. _

_She drifted in the darkness, in the silence, for what seemed like an eternity. Occasionally a snippet of some voice would flash through the darkness like lightning, and though some small part of her recognized the voices, for when one came others followed as well, she could place neither face nor name with what she heard. _

_The inky blackness made her mind sluggish and drowsy, and though she tried to dredge up the memories, she could bring nothing to mind. A dull frustration burned her breast, and in her frustration she turned away from the voices, shielding her eyes from the lightning they brought and closing her ears to the muffled words they spoke._

_She descended further, until it became impossible to distinguish up or down, left or right. She could no longer tell if she was sinking or if she was rising. She continued to drift, floating in an endless void that held no direction._

_A voice arose from within the darkness, different from the other in the fact that the voice rang loud and clear. Male in gender, the voice rang like a deep bell._

"_Powers of Thagerion _

_Watch the great beast to be_

_For to Mega Therion _

_The dragonian melody_

_The dragon open the eye_

_And reveal both true and lie_

_Spiritual supremacy"_

_The song was sharp and demanding, filled with an energy the vanquished the sloth that had so latched hold of her mind and body. It was a song she recognized, one she'd sung to herself countless times in the heat of battle, though she'd known not the origins form which it arose. The song grew louder still the longer she drifted, and as she grew more alert, the lyrics returned to her, and with a large smile on her face, she found herself joining the voice in his song._

"_Meaning of the letter of Theth _

_Hide the force of Bathomet_

_Meaning of the letter of Theth"_

_Together their voices rose, rising and falling into one perfect voice, equal parts male and female and neither all at once. _

"_The world will burn by Soraths flame_

_And through the solar sign proclaim"_

_That voice...why was it so familiar to her? She was certain she knew it from somewhere, yet as the voices from before, she could not place from whence it came. Below her, so faint at first she thought her eyes to be playing tricks on her, light grew once more. It was different form the one beforehand, a gentle red glow that warmed her even as the song renewed her energy._

"_Ascending fiend of the sea_

_Will fulfill prophesy _

_Man will feel the wrath of beast_

_Then Fenris wolf is released_

_The dragon open the eye_

_And reveal truth and lie_

_Spiritual Supremacy"_

_A bird. It was a bird that was the source of light, a bird from which the song she chorused with rose and fell. A great raptor, larger by far than any man, it could have been a falcon just as easily as it could have been an eagle. Its feathers were a deep red, mottled with stripes of orange and lighter hues of red. Its beak with black and wickedly curved, just as the talons from which the raptor rested its weight on. _

"_The end of revelation_

_A soulful violation_

_The end of revelation"_

_It stood perched within a cage of black chains which sparked and cackled with white magic, and as she grew near, that magic lashed out in warning at her, minding her to keep her distance. She ignored it, approaching the cage mindless of the white sparks that jumped from the cage onto her form. There came no pain with the jumps, and instead the sparks danced across her open flesh, seeming to leap and bound to the very song the raptor and she sang._

"_Bear the mark of victory_

_And the spark of destiny_

_Bear the mark of victory"_

_She wrapped her hands around the bars, and the flow of magic danced across the back of her palms, continuing unabated. Through the bars the raptor continued, and when she blinked a man took the raptor's place. His hair fell down his back in red dreadlocks one moment, red feathers the next, and his skin was a dark tan littered with lighter stripes. Small, tiny scales dotted his arms and legs, and his nails were a deep obsidian black._

"_Powers of Thagerion_

_Is the great beast you see_

_Powers of Thagerion"_

_Ah...now she recognized the voice. It was _his_ voice, the one who'd taught her to sing, once so long ago. The one who was always with her, who gave her strength when she needed it most. The voice of the other whom shared her soul. It had been a long time since she'd heard his voice, since she'd sung a duet with the man who was a bird. How could she have forgotten _him_, of all people?_

"_The wound of Baal will be healed_

_When sign of time is unsealed_

_The wound of Baal will be healed"_

"_The world will burn by Soraths flame_

_And through the solar sign proclaim"_

_Slowly, their song faded, and with the dying song, the caged man, the caged bird, smiled at her. It was a smile of utter pleasure, made to light his entire face up with joy as he gazed at her. She felt herself grow warm at the sight of his smile, and knew an identical one lay plastered across her own face. "Jou came back, Lil' Sistah!" His voice was thick with the song of birds and an islander's accent, and heedless of the magic that sparked and hissed at his approach, the man wrapped his hands around her own. "Jou're get'n better wif da singing, ja?"_

_His hands were warm-more than warm, they were _hot_. Yet for all their heat, her flesh did not burn, and she leaned her head against the bars, allowing her forehead to rest against the bars. "I missed you." She told him, and felt his head touch hers, a light graze made all the more present with the heat his body seemed to naturally radiate. "How did I get here?"_

_The man pulled back, yet she could feel the graze of his lip on her forehead, gentle as a feather, before fading from existence. "Das a good question, Lil Sistah." He murmured, reaching between the bars and running his fingers through her hair. "Why _are_ jou here?"_

"_I..." She paused, brows furrowing together in thought. "...There was pain. I remember there was pain and-" She stopped, her hand leaving the bar for her chest, where the pain from before spread across her torso. She grimaced, feeling the strength fade from her body as quickly as it had risen. He caught her by the shoulders, though the magic of his cage bit into his arms deeply. Gently he guided her to the ground, where she came to rest against the bars of his prison, and panting, she leaned into the bars._

"_'ey, 'ey, Lil Sistah, take it easy." His voice was a coo as soft as a dove's. "Jou understand now, Ja?"_

_She nodded, gritting her teeth. "I remember. I remember..." Fear clutched her heart, and even with him at her side, the feeling did not fade. "What do I do? What's going to happen to me?" _

"_Let me out."_

_She looked up at him, question in her eyes. He cupped her cheek, and the white magic lashed out at his flesh like a viper. "Jou need to let me out. Let me out or we'll both die."_

"_But-"_

"_Herja." He spoke her name, silencing her instantly. "Let me out. Jou knew when jou took me in what would happen. It's time for jou to rest. It's time to release me."_

_She stared at him for a long moment. His eyes were dual colored. A human with lilac eyes, as soft as a flowers, yet the raptor she saw held eye of molten gold, such a similar color to her own eyes when she drew upon his strength in the midst of battle. She had relied on his strength so much in the past. It had been his voice, his songs, that had kept her mind whole during battles and had proven time and time again to boost the moral of her comrades on the field. _

_Finally, a deep, resigned sigh escaped her throat, and she nodded. "Alright." She said, her voice little more than a whisper. "Alright, I'll release you." Carefully, she picked herself up, using the bars of his cage for support. Within his cell, the bird man stepped back, and the white sparks followed him inside as he removed his hands from her cheek. The skin tingled warmly at the removal of his hand, already missing his heat and longing for his touch like a lovestruck girl._

_Carefully, she stepped away from his prison, spreading her arms away from her sides and beginning to chant. The words were old, holding a meaning that was lost to her; little more than one spell to end another. The words had been driven into her memory years prior, yet she found herself repeating the verse as though she'd learned it not a day prior. Her body glowed, a white aura rising from her form in spectral wisps. They drifted in the dim light, separating from her as white snakes and traveling to the bars of the cage._

_The serpents wrapped around one bar, than another, weaving in and out of the metal and spreading all throughout the perimeter of the cage. White sparks clashed with the black of iron, bright enough to blind. Black metal began to dissolve into chains. Chains collapsed on the bars of metal. The cage began to disintegrate in on itself, a soft implosion made noisy by the fall of metal. _

_When finally the cage had been vanquished, she allowed her arms to fall to her side once more, staring to where he stood amongst the ruins of his former cell. Chains, their rings large and loose, hung from his body like the dreadlocks from his shoulders, and they rustled in distress as he approached her. _

_He stood before her as both man and raptor all at once, and as his arms stretched out to embrace her so too did his wings spread to engulf her body completely. His body was warm, pressed against her as he was, and she reveled in the heat, feeling a strong pair of arms around her waist, a pair of wings lightly grazing her flesh._

_It felt right. _

_In that instant, embraced by the creature that was as much raptor as man, everything was right. Everything was perfect. She felt whole in his arms, just as he felt whole in her's. They could spend the rest of existence in such a fashion, and neither one would make a move to change it if such a thing were allowed._

_Yet such a thing was not yet to be, and as if from one mind they separated. He jingled and clanged with every move, hands buried deep within his chains before offering her the end of one. "Wrap 'dis around jour arm, Lil Sistah." He said as she took the chain. "Dis way jou can rest. So long as jou has a link of dis chain, we'll be connected, jus' as always."_

_He leaned in to kiss her, a man entirely once more as his lips pressed against hers. Than there was nothing but the raptor, and it shrieked a parting as it took to the void. The many chains upon its body fell from its wings as it ascended, and they dropped in a scream of coils at her feet. All except one link, wrapped securely within the great bird's talons. "So long as I hold a link..." She murmured, staring at the chain she'd wrapped around her arm and following the many rings to the pile at her feet. Even as she watched, the chain seemed to vanish, link by link before her very eyes even as the great raptor that was her other half soared to the world she'd left behind._

_Finally, only one link remained visible, worn on the ring finger of her left hand like a wedding band. "I've married myself to a phoenix." Herja said to herself , speaking the words aloud as though expecting them to grow wings as well. "But with him gone...what shall become of myself?"_

_The glow that the Valkyrie had once assumed to have originated from the fiery bird-man grew, and a road slowly formed in front of her. Dark blue eyes, the color of a deep ocean, followed the road as far as her eyes could see, and with it came a horizon, and a world slowly began to form around her._

_Herja glanced down at the ringlet around her finger once more, than turned to the trail. "I suppose I'm meant to walk." _

_And so she did, taking her first steps down a road to anywhere._

_Within the rising horizon, the sky lightening as though by sunrise, a tune filled the air, strong and demanding and filled with energy._

"_Powers of Thagerion..."_

* * *

A fist smashed silently into a wall. Light-blue eyes glared heatedly at the white glove that covered it, and Lind pulled her hand back. A black imprint of her knuckles remained, and the Valkyrie bit back a scream.

Somewhere, burrowed deep in the back of mind, a beast snarled and roared in rage, yet Lind had long ago put a leash on that creature. She wasn't about to let her anger control her. Still there were times when that leash grew taunt, and this time was one of them. It felt like she was about to snap, and so the light-haired woman paced around the room in the hopes of ridding herself of some of her energy.

It did nothing for her-only left the woman with her thoughts. Herja was dead. Herja had been killed. The thoughts sent her anger raging once more, and again Lind wheeled to smash her fist into a wall, this time holding nothing back. Her hand punched through the wall as though it were paper, not even meeting a tug of resistance as her fist passed through. A high, strangled whine escaped her throat, and Lind rested her head against the wall, fist still buried within the hole she'd made.

Why in the Almighty's name was this happening? The mission had been simple: descend to the Assiah in search of evidence of Goetia-craft. Apprehend the possible deity practicing it and return to the heavens. They'd found the Craft. They'd found the deity. So why was one of them dead now? When did things start going so damned _wrong_?

_Damn it, Urd._ A snarl curled her lip up and a low growl exited her throat. No. It wasn't Urd's fault that Herja died. She'd said as much to Badb Catha. But it'd be so _easy _to shift the blame over to the cur...

With a frustrated growl, Lind shook her head, banishing the thoughts from her mind. Badb Catha could produce enough blame for the both of them without her adding to the mix. She wasn't blind. Near all the Valkyries knew the bad blood between their leader and the elder Norn. _Badb Catha already has a personal bias to the goddess. It's easy to blame someone you already dislike._

And how easy it must have been for the leader. It was Urd who'd they come to investigate, Urd whom they discovered that illegal Craft...Lind began to pace once more. The room was small, like the other rooms in the shrine, yet she needed to be alone if she wanted to deal with her own anger. The Valkyrie didn't trust herself to be around others, Norn, Valkyrie, or mortal right then.

Urd had tried to save Herja, true, yet the goddess had failed in the end, and Herja was dead because of it. _There you go again._ The voice wasn't her own, and she still had difficulties distinguishing between which of the twins were speaking, especially when Lind's emotions were getting the better of her. _You said it yourself! It's not Urd's fault. And it's wrong to try and take your anger out on her. _Spear Mint, most likely. The angel was the more talkative of the twins.

_Or the wall..._Another voice teased. Yep. That was Cool Mint, without a doubt.

_She did her best. _Spear Mint continued, ignoring her sibling. _ Urd could have just as easily _not_ helped Herja. It's not like we've done anything to earn her love recently. _

_That's true. _Cool Mint mused._ Urd could have just as easily let Herja bleed out. Even if she couldn't do anything, at least she tried. That's more than you can say for some of the other deities you've met in the past, Kitty Cat._

Lind scowled, dropping to her haunches and resting her weight on her legs, taking deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. Bless it all, they were right.

_Of course we're right! _Cool Mint chirped. _We're your angels. _

_Besides, you're just looking for someone to blame. _Spear Mint piped up. _The demons responsible for Herja's death, Gamori and Bune, Eir said, must be long gone by now. Urd is right here, within your reach, and makes an ideal scapegoat for you and the others to pin the blame on._

_But you must resist!_ Lind's eyes almost popped out of her skull with the scream that was Cool Mint, and instinctively her hands flew to her ears, hoping to drown out a shout that was coming solely from her mind. _RESIST_ _Kitty Cat! Resist! What we must seek is justice for this deed! Let us find those responsible and cut them to bits with your ax!_

"That's not justice. That's vengeance." Lind muttered under her breath, sincerely wishing there was a volume control on her newer angel.

_Yes. That is indeed vengeance. And you'd do well to remember the differences between justice and vengeance as well, Cat. _Spear Mint scolded. _Remember always that you are a Valkyrie first, a goddess second. There are no quests for vengeance within the society you've centered your life around; only justice, and even then, by an outside, unbiased source._

_Be wary not to let your emotions control you._

"For it will always lead to your downfall in the end." Lind finished. It was one of the Valkyries' codes, one that Lind had found herself living since the day she'd become one of the divine warriors. The woman rocked on the balls of her feet before finally rolling up and out of the crouch she'd rested in. The anger was still there, yet it had diminished significantly; little more than a burning match over the fire it had been minutes prior.

Muttering a quiet 'thank-you' under her breath, the warrior made her way to the door leading out. She found Eir waiting for her in the hallway. The girl's gaze was downcast, and when the pink-haired youth looked at Lind, her gaze never met Lind's eyes. "We need to decide what to do with Herja." She said.

Lind pursed her lips, the very mention of the fallen Valkyrie's name kindling the anger she'd fought so hard to calm. Yet the lass had a point. They couldn't simply allow Herja's body to rot in the shrine. The needed to either put the body to rest on the Assiah or send it back to the Heavens. It was doubtful they'd be allowed to send her back to the Heavens; not when there were Goetia present. There was too great a risk of opening the Gate and being ambushed by the demons. And if Goetia reached the Heavens...

"We'll conduct a ceremony for her here on the Assiah." Lind decided. Badb Catha would more likely than not be in the same mindset. "Eir, you knew Herja better than either Badb Catha or myself. I'll allow you to choose a fitting song to guide her soul to the next world. Where is Badba Catha?"

"She went outside." Eir replied. "She wanted to see if any of her Crows found any more signs of the Goetia that attacked us."

Lind nodded. "I'm going to go speak with her on the matter." The Valkyrie turned, paused, then looked back at her younger companion, "Are _you _okay, Eir?" She asked. Death was kind to no one, not even Valkyries. And while each of them had their own way of dealing with loss, Lind had to remind herself that not all of them dealt with it on their own such as herself.

Startled, the girl looked up at Lind, this time meeting her eyes. A flash of guilt spread across the younger warrior's face, followed by a look of pain, and Eir looked away. "I...I just need some time." This time when she spoke, her voice wavered, and abruptly the youth turned away.

Lind stared at Eir's back a moment, than hesitantly reached out a hand to rest against her younger comrade's shoulder. "Eir...listen, if you want to talk, feel free to come speak with me. Badb Catha too. She's real good at listening to others, and either of us will go out of our way to make time for you if you need it." Lind trailed off, leaving the two of them in an awkward silence. The sky-haired Valkyrie had never been good with words, and the ones she spoke now sounded rehearsed even to her ears. "It's just...sometimes it helps to talk." She finished lamely, removing her hand from the girl's shoulder and letting it fall to her side.

Though her back remained turned to Lind, the older warrior saw a pink head of hair bob up and down in a mute nod, and with hands clenched tightly into fists at her sides, Eir hurriedly walked off. _Poor think must feel awful with what happened to Herja. She must feel guilty for not being able to save the woman. Those two were almost like sisters, they were so close._ Spear Mint's voice was filled with sympathy, and Lind felt herself nod numbly in agreement.

_They were wing-mates, right? _Cool Mint asked.

Again, Lind nodded, this time turning and heading opposite of Eir. "Yes." She muttered. "They were."

Wing-mate. A term used amongst the Valkyries, referring to the relationship between mentor and trainee. For each new Valkyrie to enter their flock, an older Valkyrie was assigned as tutor. That Valkyrie acted as both mother and sister to the younger generation, for upon initiation into a flight, those who shared blood with a Valkyrie were no longer considered kin. The two stayed together at all times, training together, eating together, sleeping together, fighting together, killing together; until the time came that the younger one was experienced enough to be assigned a chick of her own.

Eir had been Herja's chick.

Just as Lind had been been...

Lind opened the front door and stepped into the night air. The scent of a forthcoming dew filled the air, yet underneath she could still smell the smoky scent of the burned earth from the Goetia. It made Lind's skin crawl.

A caw sent the woman's gaze to the rooftop, and against the sickle of the moon Lind spied the familiar silhouette of the one she was searching for. One of Badb Catha's crows rested on a shoulder, and more lined the rooftop around her. The woman's arm's were spread in front of her, and Lind watched as one more great black bird came to land in her outstretched hands. The Mad Crow stroked the creature's feathers, and her head tilted down to look at Lind, eyes glowing amber in the moonlight.

_She's still angry_. Lind observed, the hint of a frown tugging gently at the corner of one lip. _Tread lightly. The waters are restless._ The Valkyrie leaped in the air, and when Lind reached the apex of her jump she allowed her magic to consume her body, acting much as the wings of her angels and allowing the woman to float to the rooftop.

The crows took to the air around both Valkyries as the young woman landed, cawing angrily at the interruption. Lind ignored them, her attention focused on the Mad Crow. "Anything?"

A voice, a rough croak that seemed to emulate the crows around them, rose in Lind's mind. _None. One found evidence of a campsite, yet the site is hours old by now; the Goetia have long since moved on. _

Lind pursed her lips in thought. "Any possibility they might still be there?" She asked, choosing her next words carefully. "Your crows have been patrolling since we arrived in the Assiah and this is the first time we've caught wind of an actual camp. It might be that they're still there."

The dark woman snorted. _And what would you have us do should such a thing be true, Child? Run head-first into the serpent's den? We would go in blind and be bitten in the dark._ The woman frowned. _One has already taken one of my crows. And that bird had been scouting on the very top of the shrine we stand upon now. To rush into such a thing where more than one rest in wait would be suicide. I'll not go about fighting invisible enemies._

"So than what would you have us do?"

_We wait._

Lind grit her teeth silently. With Herja's passing, the woman felt strangely impatient. There was a desire in her, a _need_ almost, that screamed in her ear to go after the ones responsible. It made her body itch, as though a fine line of fire ants were marching across her skin. To sit around and do nothing... "Than we should take care of Herja while we wait." The Valkyrie announced.

Badb Catha stared at Lind for a long moment, amber-not the red Lind knew the Mad Crow's eyes to be-regarding the younger woman carefully. Finally the dark woman nodded, and with a sweep of her arms sent her remaining crows flying. _Yes. I suppose your right, little cat. We'll have to take care of her here though._ The woman sighed. _The heavens will not open the Gate for a mere corpse. How the times change..._

With a shake of her head, the Mad Crow vaulted off the top of the shrine. Lind looked down at her, and made move to follow, when something caught the corner of her eye. Pausing, the Valkyrie looked up, and when she did, her eyes widened. "Angel?" Surprised, the woman froze from where she hovered near the edge.

Beneath her, Badb Catha's phantom voice, spoken in a language of croaks and caws, arose in Lind's mind. _Lind, what are you talking abo-_

The thought was abruptly cut off, and Lind heard the soft hiss of metal as the Catha summoned her blade. _We have no male deities on the Assiah, Lind._ The voice had taken on a low growl, a warning for Lind to take heed.

In the treetops surrounding the shrine, where the moon was slowly sinking down into, an angel clutched at the top of an evergreen. Male, or as male in appearance as any angel could be, it observed the two Valkyries silently with vibrant blue eyes. It's chest was bare save for a small strip of cloth that drifted in an invisible breeze from its shoulder and down across its chest at an angle, the white disappearing from view within the trees. Having gained the attention of first Lind, than Badb Catha, the winged creature graced the two with a coy smile.

Lind frowned at the creature, her eyes never leaving the angel's as the Valkyrie kneeled down against the ledge of the rooftop. One hand went to cover her mouth. "What do you think it's doing here?"

_Nothing good. No sane deity would wander these woods with Goetia about, let alone an angel. _Lind could hear the woman shuffle restlessly beneath her. _No...this reeks of a trap._

"Than we should spring it with eyes wide open and claws drawn, so that we might shred the hunter lying in wait." Her hand twitched, the fingers itching as Lind glared at the angel.

Something wrapped around her wrist, and when Lind looked to its source she found Badb Catha at it's source. The woman's grip was tight, almost to the point of bruising. _Would you have them pick us off one by one? That is exactly what they are waiting for. _The grip tightened momentarily. _You have come a long way from the child I once knew Lind. Apply what you have learned through the years to this situation. Do not allow your anger to rule you._

The Mad Crow released her grip from the younger Valkyrie, and Lind withdrew her hand with a grimace, rubbing her wrist and disliking how it throbbed. _That's the second-or is it the third?- Person who's told you to watch your temper today Lind._ The sky-eyed Valkyrie thought. _I must be growing unruly on the Assiah. I'd best watch myself._

_Still, we can't just leave it there to watch us._ Badb Catha continued. _It is impossible to say what it might try if left unchallenged. We shall investigate together, with Eir as well. _The crow sent the Lind a pointed look. _I'll not be loosing another Valkyrie in so short a time._

Lind grimaced at the reminder of Herja, and a lump of guilt rose in her throat. Mutely, the woman nodded in understanding. "I'll fetch Eir."

_No need._

As though called by some invisible force, the door slid open to reveal the woman in question. "Badb Catha! Lind!" The youth cried breathlessly, her cheeks flush. "Herja-"

"Herja's going to need to wait right now, Eir." Lind cut her off. "We have other problems right now." The warrior tilted her head to the problem in question. "We don't know what its doing here or what its up to." The Valkyrie explained. "But we're going to discover if its a threat or not. All three of us. Together."

The sky-haired woman sent the youth a look that dared Eir to disagree with her. Yet Eir did not rise to the challenge, simply nodding her head. "That's fine." The pink-haired Valkyrie said. "If it has anything to do with those demons, I won't mind chasing it off than."

_Stay on your guard, the both of you._ Badb Catha's voice whispered through Lind's mind once more, and together, the younger Valkyries turned to their senior. _Remember, we no not if this angel is friend or a wolf in sheepskin. Investigate with caution._

Twin nods came in response, and Lind hopped off the roof, her magic automatically taking over and sending the Valkyrie flying to the angel in question. Badb Catha followed quickly after the sky-eyed woman, with Eir close behind after a moment's hesitation.

The angel's smile only seemed to broaden as the trio of Valkyries approached, yet it did not make any move to flee nor fight. Instead, a song parted from its lips, sung with the voice of a boy with words clear enough that Lind found herself without need of either of her angels to act as translators.

"_Powers of Thagerion _

_Watch the great beast to be_

_For to Mega Therion _

_The dragonian melody_

_The dragon open the eye_

_And reveal both true and lie_

_Spiritual supremacy"_

The song came as shock enough for Lind to pause in her flight, eying the angel critically. "What in the Almighty's name?"

"That song...That's-Herja used to sing that all the time!" Eir exclaimed. "How could an angel know a Valkyrie's song?"

Lind had no answer for her, and she doubted Badb Catha had a response either. Valkyrie songs were sung only amongst their own, used to bolster the moral of their sisters in the heat of battle or to sing a ward around another that might act as a means of protection from a demon's curse. They were sung for Valkyries, by Valkyries. Deities had no use for the songs, be they male or female, and angels even less so. For an angel to know such a song, a _male _angel none the less...

Lind found herself increasing her pace, speeding high above the tree tops of the forest. The angel's eyes followed her up, its grin only growing larger the closer she approached, and a knot of suspicion tied in the Valkyrie's stomach. This high up and she was looking directly down upon the angel, and what Lind saw chilled her to her core.

"Badb Catha! Eir! Get back! It's a-" The Valkyrie never had a chance to finish her words.

The trees rustled and moaned painfully, and from the shadows of the forest a darker shadow emerged, rising from where it had lain dormant until the angel's song. Now it rose, and it was only through years of battle and training and highly honed reflexes that Lind managed to avoid the jaws of the great dragon that emerged.

It's flesh was black as midnight, a beaded coat made of the hides of lizards rather than serpents. Horns punctured the flesh along the ridge of its narrow muzzle, working their way up its eye ridge and sprouting larger at the top of its head. A horse mane of golden hair, as golden as the angel that summoned it, sprouted from its long neck, working its way down and disappearing into the shades of trees. The jaws that Lind had narrowly avoided were large and filled with rows upon rows of teeth and fangs, like those of a shark, even the smallest of which were larger than Lind's forearm.

"How the fuck did they manage to hide _that _from us?" Eir screamed.

The dragon only roared in response, and with it two more strands of darkness rose from the forest floor as well. Two more heads, two more dragons, each identical to the first, snapped the air in which the Valkyries flew. Intertwined within the necks of the very creatures it had summoned, the angel continued its song, a wicked smile on its face that spoke of a malignant joy as it watched from below.

"Dragonrider Valu..." Lind heard herself whisper, and as though she screamed it to the air, Valu, the angel, his lower body merged to the body of the hydra he rode, looked her straight in the eyes and paused in his song.

He blew her a kiss, than returned to his song. As one the dragons hissed and snarled, all three focusing their attention on Lind. Her heart thrumming in her ears, Lind summoned her ax to her hand, wielding it in front of her as the Valkyrie eyed first one, than another. Her skin tingled as if every hair on her body was standing on end, and it felt as though the world as she perceived it had grown sharper, clearer, louder then before. _And so my eyes turn the amber of the beast that rests within my soul. _She prayed. _May its strength become mine own, and together let us rend apart the demon that stands before us._

_Retreat! _Badb Catha's voice rose as a scream in Lind's ear, and the Valkyrie winced as she bit back a yelp. _The Dragonrider is a distraction! The Goetia are heading towards the shrine!_

Quickly, Lind peeked over her shoulder, something that might have passed for a frown passing across her face as several more dark shadows ran from the cover of trees out towards the shrine. One looked suspiciously like a wolf.

Lind cursed violently, and as Badb Catha and Eir raced back towards the shrine, the pale warrior turned to follow. Yet it seemed Valu was not the type to be ignored, and with a roar one of the dragons snapped at her. Lind wheeled to deflect the attack, and her blade, glowing blue with the light of her magic, rang sharply against one of the dragon's fangs. It did little more than that in ways of damage, and Lind was actually surprised to find herself bouncing back from the dragon rather than cleaving her blade into its flesh.

From beneath her one of its kin bellowed in rage, and Lind quickly rolled to her left. The dragon's jaws were so close that she could feel its breath across her face as it passed above her, hot and rank with the smell of rotting, dead meat. This one she managed to injure, burying her ax into the creature's cheek and pulling her blade down even as the thing rose to tower over her. The resulting gash was long and shallow, stretching from the beast's cheek and carving a harsh and jagged line down along its chin and into its neck.

The dragon shrieked in pain, and the final beast belched a thick flame of red at the warrior in vengeance. Lind spread arms across her face, the dragon's flame engulfing her. The heat was intense; hot enough to heat her uniform to the point where she feared it might ignite. Yet it was not hellfire, nor the harsh flames of Muspellheim, and the cloth held even as it felt as though her flesh might melt.

When finally the fires ceased, Lind floated trembling, what skin lay visible a burned and ragged pink that looked close to blistering. When the Valkyrie released the breath she'd held, her body wracked itself with dry, ragged coughs. It hurt to breath, and her mouth felt like sandpaper.

One of the dragons growled at her; a deep, rumbling sound that caused the air to vibrate and seemed to shake the very bones in Lind's body. The creature that ruled them, the demon in the 'guise of an angel, continued his song, his eyes mocking as he watched her.

The warrior met his gaze with a smirk of her own. "Looks like my work is cut out for me." She murmured, before launching into a head-long rush towards the Dragonrider. _Time to carve the heart out of the dragon. _Her ax swung wide, and with a roar that chorused with the screams of dragons, Lind brought her blade down upon the Goetia's head.

* * *

"Fuck." Mara swore. "Fuck fuck fuck fuck _fuck." _She repeated the word over and over in a loud mantra, darting from the cover of trees that hid her cousin and his unit and into the open, where she lay

exposed to the very warriors her cousin sought to distract. "Fuck fuck fuckity-fuck fuck _hell_!" Mara cursed, her heart ramming in her ears as her vision narrowed to a silver streak of hair that was Gamori.

She chased the demon down, and beyond the thrumming of her heart Mara heard Gamori laugh. "Mara, it's too soon for that!" The Goetia crowed. "Remember, duty first, play later!" The demon with Urd's face peeked over a shoulder at Mara, a suggestive look displayed on the not-Urd's face that made Mara's stomach roll. "Besides, there will be plenty of time for _that_ later, Love."

Mara flipped the demon off. "Fuck you Gamori!" She shrieked, loud enough that Mara thought for an instant even the Almighty might have heard her, let alone the Valkyries Valu was toying with.

The Goetia only threw back a head of silver hair and laughed though. "Anytime Mara! Just say when!"

It garnished an angry growl from Mara's throat, and at a loss of any further retorts, the demon settled into an angry sulking silence. At her side, the snake-wolf loped easily, his tongue hanging from his parted jaws in a wolf's laugh. "Oh, don't you start too, Amon." Mara muttered angrily under her breath. If the wolf had words for her they were lost on Mara. The demon had long ago lost the ability to communicate with the Goetia in his more bestial avatar.

A roar from above signaled the beginnings of Valu's distraction. "Kill 'em all." Mara muttered under her breath.

They managed to reach the entrance to the shrine without difficulty, yet only Gamori managed to get inside before a murder of crows descended upon the small group. Amon snapped and snarled at the birds, managing to snag one from the air by a wing. The wolf smashed its body on the ground even as it pecked and clawed at the Goetia. It stunned the avian, and without pause the wolf moved to shaking his large head, worrying the bird until there was little more than a lump of limp feathers and flesh in his jaws.

Mara was not so lucky, and though Amon's attack made the birds wary, still they came at her, croaking and screaming, clawing and pecking, working their hardest to draw blood. "Nidhogg Bless it!" The woman snarled, and the blond's body erupted into flames.

The scent was nauseating, a mixture of burning feathers and roasting flesh, and the air was filled with the screams of dying, burning crows. Many fell to the ground instantly, dead before impact. Others screamed and fluttered weakly on the ground, half-charred and in the midst of their death-throws before Mara ended their misery with a quick stomp on their heads.

Those lucky to escape the ignition quickly dispersed, many with feathers singed and smoking from the blast. Yet with their retreat came an even larger threat, and the Mad Crow showed little restraint as she sailed down at Mara, white boot aimed at the fiery woman's head.

With a snarl, Mara raised both arms over her head, sidestepping at the last moment and taking a glancing blow from the warrior rather than absorbing the full impact of the kick. It left her arms burning from where the kick had sliced through the flames and into her flesh, but otherwise Mara was none the worse for wear.

The Valkyrie impacted with the ground in an explosion of earth and debris, and before the dust had time to settle, the Crow turned and brought her sword down at Mara's side. There was a _clash_ of metal on metal, and Mara grit her teeth as the Mad Crow bore down on her, the demons own blade, a long, wickedly-curved _kukri,_ trembling with exertion. The demon bared her teeth in a savage snarl at the Valkyrie, and the Mad Crow responded with one of an equal rage as both forces fought to overpower the other, neither side willing to break away.

Amon ended the stalemate with a snarl and a flash of teeth, and Badb Catha dropped into a roll as she fought to avoid both fangs and blade. Amon's interruption brought just enough time for Eir to act, and though wolf and crow danced with death, Mara had little time to catch her breath before being bombarded by the second Valkyrie.

The girl's attacks were savage and fast, yet sloppy and predictable, forcing Mara to dance and dodge around the halberd Eir swung at her. At times the demon was forced to use her blade to send the halberd away from her body, at Mara's hands tingled and throbbed with each strike. The blond was on the defensive, and Eir forced the demon away from the shrine with strike after strike. When a chunk of uprooted earth caused the demon to stumble, the Valkyrie wasted no time in taking advantage of the opening. With a roar, the youth swung her weapon down on Mara's left side, and though the blond managed to absorb the shock of impact with her _kukri_, it did not prevent the ax head from sliding off her blade and burying itself in the demon's arm.

If Mara felt any pain, she ignored it, too lost in the heat of battle to care what happened to one limb. Instead, with ax still buried in arm, the demon closed the distance between the two warriors, moving her body into the pole of the halberd and bringing her own blade up under the Valkyrie's right arm. This close, there was no avoiding the strike, and the blade sliced easily into the youth's arm pit.

So close, Mara could see the pain dawning in the girl's pink eyes, and the demon's smile was vicious. "You sure you want to continue this, Valkyrie?" The demon asked, removing the _kukri_ from the girl's flesh and bringing the point to rest under the warrior's throat. Eir grunted in pain, and her uniform began to darken as the blood seeped into the cloth. "Because right now, it'd be all too easy to slit your throat." The youth glared at the demon, the corner of one lip curled up in a snarl that would have looked more at home on a demon's face than a Valkyrie's. "Back down, Valkyrie." Mara continued. "Back down and let us continue with what we came here for." The demons' voice was a low rumble in her chest, a warning growl that spoke more than words ever could.

Pink eyes narrowed in rage at the demon, yet the Valkyrie made no move to obey Mara's demands. Lips pursed, instead the girl chose to simply glare at the demon, and with the sudden halt of action Mara began to feel her arm throb painfully. "Fool-girl, are you going to answer me or not?" Mara hissed, and she brought her blade closer to Eir's throat, the point digging into the girl's flesh just deep enough to draw blood.

Amon howled, and briefly Mara watched her prisoner's eyes dart off to one side before returning the Mara. The demon caught a surge of movement from her peripheral vision, yet before she could act a new, fresh wave of pain erupted from her left arm. The pain was strong enough to leave the demon light-headed and seeing stars, and _kukri _sliding from her grasp, Mara stumbled away from Eir with a gasp.

Gritting her teeth, the demon clutched her injured arm, feeling something warm and slick dampen her hand. Looking to the source, she found the dark-haired Mad Crow glaring at her, the pommel of the Valkyrie's sword raised and glistening with blood. Meeting a pair of golden eyes, the Valkyrie stepped towards the demon, wheeling her blade up and down in a long sweep across the demon's chest. Mara stumbled away from the attack, so close she could feel it wind it produced, and fell to the ground, unable to find her balance with the dizziness that filled her head. The Valkyrie took another step, and the blond felt a wave of _deja vu _as the blade of the sword came to rest under the demon's neck. _Shit. She's going to kill me, isn't she?_

Somewhere off to her right, Mara could hear Amon snarling in rage, and a voice she remembered from the pink-haired Valkyrie spoke up. "Call your wolf off or your life ends here."

Mara's gaze traveled down from the Mad Crow's eyes, following it to the scarred neck, than to the shoulder, the arm, the hand that held the sword. The point of the metal disappeared under Mara's chin. The demon closed her eyes. "I can't do that. He won't-"

"I said call him off!"

"He won't listen to me!" Mara screamed, eyes flashing open in a burst of heated red as she glared at the youth. "He won't listen to me." She repeated. "Amon obeys only those stronger than him. If you want him to stand down, you can have your Crow tell him to do so."

There was a long moment of silence, and Mara felt the tip of the blade rest its weight down on the base of her throat. She followed it up to the Mad Crow, yet the Valkyrie did not speak. Quickly her gaze darted over to where she'd heard Amon and the other Valkyrie's voice emanate from and finding Amon resting his weight atop the youth, his jaws stiff around her neck and intentions obvious.

_He could just as easily poison her as crush her throat like that._ Mara observed. _We're in a damned stalemate. _Cat-red eyes drifted back to the Mad Crow's. _Gamori, you better hurry up. We can't keep these fools distracted forever._

"Tell us what you're doing here." Eir finally broke the long silence, and despite herself Mara rolled her eyes.

"What, you mean Keiichi and the Norn's didn't tell you?" The demon asked. "_I'm_ here because the Daimakaicho wanted me to get the Norn's off the Assiah. Didn't your Lone Wolf tell you that?"

Above her, the dark woman bristled in anger, and Eir spoke again. "That isn't what I mean. Why are _Goetia _on the Assiah?"

Red eyes, the pupils slit like a cat, darted from one Valkyrie to the other before Mara smiled. "Ah, I see now." The demon said. "The reason the old Crow isn't calling Amon off is because she _can't, _can she?" The woman bared her teeth in a manner too hostile to be a smile as she looked at Badb Catha. "So your using your own soldiers as a voicebox, eh? Oh how the mighty have fallen."

The smile left her face quickly however as Badb Catha slammed her heel into the demon's injured arm, Mara' face dissolving into a mask of agony as her world exploded into painful stars. Nausea rolled in her stomach, and for a moment the blond could taste bile at the back of her throat before she managed to swallow it back down. _I'll be blessed before I give a Valkyrie the enjoyment of causing me to vomit._ She thought stubbornly, wheezing all the while. _Gamori, where the hell are you? It shouldn't be taking you this long!_

"Y-you sure...you want to...k-knock out the one...demon...who can...talk?" The blonde wheezed, her voice tight and face twisted into a grimace of pain.

"Than you'd better start talking, demon."

"Oh yes, do tell. I'd love to hear what it is so many Goetia have planned on a little dung hole like this."

The voice was new, yet something about it struck a chord of familiarity in the back of Mara's mind. The demon looked up, stretching her neck as far as she dared against the blade resting at her throat. _No, not now, not when we're so close!_

High above the shrine, a woman hovered. With eyes as red as her hair, she smiled down at them, dressed in a demon's uniform. The crests that adorned her shoulders were alien to Mara, yet the sigels that adorned the red lady's cheeks and brow once more ignited the spark of recognition. _You're shitting me. _It was the demon from the college. The one who'd possessed the girl. Mada. When Mara had first infiltrated the small gang, she'd never seen the demon's actual face, the red lady having already possessed the girl from the shop. Now however...

Now she was six years old again, chasing Urd down a hallway and running into a pack of Slayers guiding a prisoner. Only the woman who'd claimed to be a Slayer didn't smell like one, and there had never been a pair of twins in any of the units that wandered Hild's corridors. _Mada. It's Mada. _That _Mada._

Her right arm throbbed to a beat different from her injured left, and the memories that came with it returned all too easily. A spark of rage and something darker rose in her breast, and the blond snarled at the redhead.

Mada laughed. "Oh my, not so enjoyable from the receiving end now, is it Blondie?" She mocked, and from around her, more appeared. There must have been at least a dozen of them, all demons dressed in a similar uniform, their crests the same borne on Mada's arm. Armed, they hovered behind Mada, their expressions solemn as they stared down at the four beneath them.

"So Little Marller, just what _are _you and your little friends up to?"

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: And so we're slowly reaching the final arc of the the first portion of this series. Once this arc closes I'll see if I can't get started on the second arc of Origins, for those of you following that story. Again, don't expect any fast updates. I'm working some long hours on a nightshift and I'm actually hoping to fill my days with some classes now that I'm finished with my thrice-cursed 'course development' training. So...wish me luck on that avenue. Hope you enjoyed. I don't own 'To Mega Therion'. That belongs to the band Therion.  
_


	23. Three Dogs and a Bone

It was a shrieking roar, loud and angry, that gave way to the fact that something was happening outside. So loud was it, that from where he rested propped up against a wall, Keiichi awoke with a start. Belldandy, who'd suffered her own surprise when the screams began, gently pried herself from Skuld and moved to rise.

The Norn's movements were slow and graceful, filled with a natural ease evident even with the soft grimace that lined Belldandy's features, with the slow, careful way she approached Keiichi. Yet even still, the goddess was recovering, each step, while trembling, growing more steady, and when the woman stumbled and looked to fall, Skuld bolted to her side, wrapping an arm around Belldandy and helping the older sibling keep her footing.

With Skuld's support, Belldandy's steps grew more stable, and though her cheeks were flush from even the small amount of effort it took to Keiichi's side, she graced the man with a reassuring smile none the less. "I think it might be in our best interest to see whatever it is that is attacking our home and offer Lind and Badb Catha our assistance." She said, even as Keiichi moved to rise as well, clutching Urd's blanket tightly around his shoulders. "It seems highly inconsiderate to be resting safely inside while the Valkyries are about, risking their lives for our sake."

There was a light in the brunette's azure eyes. A sparkle, one that almost seemed to burn like an inner fire. Keiichi had only seen it perhaps once or twice in the years he'd known the goddess, and the undertone of Belldandy's words were clear enough that they seemed to almost echo in his mind. _I'm tired of hiding and letting Lind fight alone. It's time to aid our friend._

The woman approached him with the aid of her sister, and gently she reached out to rest a hand on a blanket covered shoulder. "May I?" She asked, and after a moment's hesitation, Keiichi slid out of the blanket, letting the material fall into Belldandy's waiting hands.

Though no wounds covered his chest, caked blood stained the man's skin a muddy red, and the blanket's removal sent little flakes of dried red raining from Keiichi's torso. There was a gasp from Skuld, and a twitch at the corner of her mouth might have been the closest thing Belldandy gave to a frown, yet otherwise neither goddess made a comment.

Whatever affect the blood may have had on her, the Norn ignored it, taking the blanket from Keiichi and giving it a hard shake. Red flakes littered the air, and as the cloth settled in her hands once more a jacket appeared where once a blanket had been held. "I would recommend a bath before adorning such ware under normal circumstances, but given what seems to be happening outside out walls, the circumstances hardly seem normal."

Keiichi blinked and blinked again, taking the jacket mutely from the Norn. For a second it sounded as though the goddess had just made a joke.

With a shake of his head however, the man banished the thought and slipped into the jacket. Warm and lightweight, it took the man a moment to realize it was one of the old jackets buried within his closet. _I haven't worn this since I was a Freshman in college._ How Belldandy managed to find it through the mountain of old clothing and some how transform a blanket into it was a mystery to Keiichi.

"Come." Belldandy said with a nod, gently squeezing Skuld's shoulder in reassurance. "I believe it's time we attended our unexpected guests. I want to see who these people are with my own eyes." A look of determination on her face, the elder Norn turned towards the exit to the room, her steps seeming to grow more steady the longer she stood.

Watching her somehow reminded Keiichi of Herja when last he saw her. Weak, fragile even. Yet still holding an inner determination, one that, while weak and flickering, refused to lay down and die. Dark brown eyes narrowed at the sight, and a sense of resolve settled in the man's chest. _Never again. _He thought. _I won't ever allow something like that to happen again. Not to Belldandy or anyone else._

With such thoughts settling in his mind, the man followed the woman he loved out the door and into a waking nightmare.

* * *

Urd was the first thing Belldandy saw as she exited her room.

The woman in question held a grim air to her, and when the dark woman spotted Belldandy, the eldest Norn all but broke into a run towards the trio.

"We need to leave. Now." The goddess said, not so much speaking the words as ordering the trio. "Come on. This saves me the hassle of searching for you since you're all gathered in one spot. Let's go." The silver haired goddess waved Belldandy towards the entrance to the shrine, turning and starting off, yet as Skuld moved to follow, Belldandy found herself hesitating.

"Belldandy?" Keiichi rested a hand on her shoulder, and when she turned to look at him, the concern on his face was so evident it almost hurt to look at him. The goddess bit her lip, turning away from him to regard her sister, bemused.

Something wasn't right.

_Why would Urd be searching for us?_

Perhaps hearing Keiichi, perhaps simply noticing that only Skuld was following behind her, Urd turned to look back at the goddess, silver brows furrowed with confusion. "Bell? What is it?" She asked. "Is something wrong? Because we _really_ need to go. Like five minutes ago." The bronze woman looked back towards the entrance of the shrine, a display of agitation flashing across her face before vanishing in an instant.

The goddess grumbled something under her breath before turning away and marching up to Belldandy. "Listen, I can't really explain everything right here and right now, but I need you and everyone else to come with me. We're about to be in a shitload of danger, and at the rate things are going, a couple of Valkyries and Goetia are going to be the last thing we're going to be worrying about. Now let's _go_."

The dark goddess grabbed Belldandy by the wrist, seemingly intent to drag her younger sister along if need be, and Belldandy gasped as the image of her sister vanished to be replaced with something else. Immediately, the goddess pulled her hand away from Urd's, the yank so hard she stumbled into Keiichi's waiting arms. "Who are you?" Belldandy asked, azure eyes wide with horror. "Why are you wearing my sister's face?"

Something that almost sounded like a growl rose from behind her, and it took Belldandy a moment to realize Keiichi was actually _talking_.

"It's _you_."

"Belldandy, what's going on? What are you talking about?" Skuld's eyes darted between Belldandy and Urd, her expression torn and anxious before finally choosing one sibling over the other and darting to Belldandy's side.

Urd's eyes flashed, and a multitude of expressions seemed to cross the woman's face all at once, twisting the goddess's face into some horrid mask that bore little resemblance to the Urd that Belldandy knew for her sister.

"We don't have time for this." Urd hissed. " I _promise _you, come with me and I'll explain everything. We're in danger here, _all _of us, and we need to get to safety before-"

What happened next took Belldandy's mind several seconds to process, for in the time she'd known Keiichi Morisato, Belldandy had never known him to strike a woman.

One second he was behind her, the next the man was assaulting the stranger with Urd's face. His punch came wide, and with a snarl he lashed out at her. The not-Urd stepped to the side with a grace that spoke of reflex, and Keiichi's fist sailed past her head. The woman's stance shifted, and the stranger stepped into Keiichi's swing, grabbing the man past the elbow and wrapping him up in what looked to be a rather uncomfortable hold.

"I'll commend you for your bravery and your wrath boy." The stranger said, and when she spoke the not-Urd's voice had deepened. "It certainly takes a good amount of either to strike a Goetia. But you're about several centuries too young to be going up against the likes of me."

Keiichi grunted, struggling within the woman's grasp, yet the not-Urd's grip only tightened. "Now, now, stop that. Otherwise I'll be forced to break your arm."

A growl and a curse managed to rise from somewhere behind the stranger's back, and when Belldandy stepped forward to intervene the not-Urd sent her a warning glare. "Don't you start, Belldandy." She warned, and for a second she sounded so much like Urd that Belldandy obeyed. "Your man is fine. He's not hurt so long as he doesn't try to break my hold. I was just defending myself." She sniffed, and muttering under her breath she said, "If I wasn't in such a rush, I'd teach him a lesson about hitting girls."

"Let Keiichi go."

There was an iciness to Belldandy's words that caused Skuld to step away from her sister, yet if Belldandy noticed she gave no sign. She took a step towards the two, and the not-Urd's arm twitched. Keiichi cried out in pain, and Belldandy froze, her expression anxious.

"Don't play that game with me, girl." The woman growled. "I make well do on my threats, mind you." The grip on Keiichi lessened, and the expression of pain on the man's face slackened in relief.

The stranger scowled. "Would you listen if it were Marller instead the words came from?" She continued, her gaze darting from Belldandy further down the hallway, back the way she initially came before returning to Belldandy. "Certainly you'd listen to such an old acquaintance, correct?"

Belldandy hesitated, a flicker of uncertainty dawning in azure eyes. "Perhaps." She drawled out slowly, "However, unless Marller is with you, she is going to have a hard time of convincing us to go with you. Or her, for that matter."

A corner of the not-Urd's mouth twitched in a manner that could have easily been a smile as much as a frown. "A good point there, Lass." She murmured, and her gaze again darted back down the hallway. "Just you wait, than. Any second now, our friend Marller will appear and give you a perfectly understandable reason as to why all of you need to leave this place."

A second passed. Two, then three.

"Any second now..."

This time the words spoken were louder, yet still no demon appeared before the group. The not-Urd frowned, then scowled. Belldandy's eyes narrowed in a manner that did not speak of any great kindness, and somewhere in one of the adjacent rooms, a vase exploded.

"Perhaps." Belldandy said the word slowly and carefully, as though fretting the demon in front of her disguised as her sister were a child. "You should let Keiichi go."

Something shattered in one of the other rooms; a window perhaps, or maybe a mirror. The noise was accompanied by a gently bolt of magic, one that wormed its way up and down Belldandy's arm, a snake of pure, emotional energy waiting to lash out. "Because if you harm him," There came a clattering from the kitchen, sounding very much like a four-year old creating his own drum set from pots and pans. "I will be very, _very _displeased."

Taking her cue from her sister and looking little more than a shadow in Belldandy's own anger, Skuld withdrew what armament she had left from her blouse; two Skuld Bombs and a lone smoke bomb. She tossed one in the air, eying the demon in disguise and calculating the distance necessary to hurl the bomb into the false-goddess' face.

"What in the nine hells is going on here?"

As one, all eyes turned away from one Urd and straight into the rattled gaze of another.

Somewhere outside, a wolf howled, and the stranger pursed her lips.

"Well..." She said. "...Bugger."

The house seemed to moan and groan with her words, and from somewhere outside there came a roar, load and deafening and primordial. A tremor shook the house, attempting to rock the house from it's foundations, it was so strong, and for a brief moment the stranger's grip on Keiichi faltered.

The man tore free from her grip with a yelp, only for the both of them to fall to the floor. Above their head, something splintered, and before anyone could guess as to its cause a section of the ceiling tore away, disappearing into oblivion and leaving everyone a view of the stars. More pieces of the ceiling splintered away until the entire hallway was illuminated by moonlight.

"Look what we found!" A voice, male and foreign, roared above their heads, and from the darkness of the midnight sky, a shade approached the roof. Bathed in darkness though he was, the demon's eyes still glowed red in the darkness, bathing the upper portion of his face in a haughty glow. The intruder smiled. "It looks like I've found me a heard o' lamps, I did." He laughed raucously. "An' wit a wolf in sheepskin as well!" The demon tapped a finger to his lips, eyes inquisitive. "Yet here's a new question: Which one is the wolf?"

From another section of the open roof, a pair of pale fingers, ghostly white, grabbed the edge and the first half of a leering, red-eyed fiend peeked down at them. "Does it matter?" This one's voice was a soft hiss. "Grab them both and let Vikoka sort them out."

From where she'd fallen on top of Keiichi, the not-Urd rolled onto her back. Grimacing, she propped herself up on her elbows, looking up at the foreign demon through one violet eye. "Shit." She whispered. "Time to leave! _Now!_"

The false-goddess rolled onto her feet with all the grace of a cat, only to whirl around and wrap her arms around Keiichi's waist. Ignoring the man's loud, vocal protests, the woman bolted down the corridor away from both demons and Norns.

And, as to be expected, where one ran the rest followed.

A rather undignified squawk escaped Belldandy's lips, and paying no mind to either of her sisters or the two demons above her head, the goddess bolted after captor and captive.

"Belldandy!" Urd shouted behind her, ignoring likewise the demons who'd decided to destroy the roof. "Wait, hold up a second!" She cried, giving chase to her sister and the woman who wore her face, racing past a bewildered Skuld and down the hall.

So distracted were the two elder sibling, neither heard the small cry that escaped Skuld's lips as the demons above descended upon her.

* * *

The front door to the inside of the house burst open, and distracted by the sudden noise, Mara tore her gaze away from Mada, only to stare gape-mouthed as Gamori rushed out. In her arms, borne like some overly-large football, a yelling, cursing Keiichi struggled to free himself. A look that could only be compared to as insane on her face, the demon came to a sliding halt several feet from where Badb Catha stood, still resting her saber against Mara's throat.

That insane look only grew on the demon's face as Gamori smiled. "Idea!" The disguised demon crowed, glancing over her shoulder with a near-diabolic look in her face.

Belldandy was racing towards her, her face holding a terrifying expression that could have peeled paint given half the chance.

With a cackle, the demon turned her gaze to the Mad Crow. "Fetch Girl!" She cried, before hurling Keiichi like the football she held him as. Belldandy almost seemed to soar after the man as flew through the air, paying Gamori no mind, and Belldandy had just wrapped her arms around the man when both goddess and mortal collided into Badb Catha. Badb Catha, who, at the sound of Keiichi's screams and Belldandy's yells, had turned to see what was happening behind her, dropped her saber as the duo collided with the mute Valkyrie.

The force was enough to knock the Mad Crow over, and as the saber fell to the ground, where its end buried itself inches from Mara's head, mortal, goddess, and Valkyrie all fell on top of the demon who'd been held at sword-point. From somewhere within the pile of entities there came an indignant squawk, and there was a flurry of limbs as everyone in the dog pile scrambled to escaped from beneath one another.

Laughter roared above their heads at the scene, and as Belldandy parted from the pile, gently guiding Keiichi off an irate Badb Catha, her gaze turned towards the midnight sky. "I can't believe that just happened. And right in front of me, too." Mada exclaimed, eyes glowing and mocking against the moonlit sky. "Who'd have thought a mission like this would be so entertaining?" The demon smirked.

Her gaze turned from the group that was steadily untangling themselves and towards Gamori. Or was it Urd? The pupils, barely visible within the glow of her eyes, darted from first one to another. "And it seems the star of the show has arrived." A frown tugged at the fire-haired woman's mouth. "And it seems she's brought an extra as well...what foolishness is this?"

Urd looked to her doppelganger, finding the woman in question staring back, a reflection of Urd's own expression on her face.

"Bah, whatever the reason is of no matter." Mada spat. "Grab them both and let us be done with this realm. I grow sick of this place."

The dozen or so demons that surrounded the woman descended at her words, weapons and magics of various shapes and hues manifesting around them, turning the once-silent group into a pack of raging harpies.

"Mother of Hel!" It was hard to tell from whom the curse had come from, Urd and her duplicate looked so alike; as one they darted away from the approaching demons, seeming to act almost as mirror images to the point where both women even came to a stop at the same time. Mada's demons divided as they approached, seperating into three groups of four. Two of the groups went after Urd and Gamori, one group per person, while the others went for the remaining combatants.

The demon wolf, Amon, seemed to loose his taste for Eir's throat, leaping off the Valkyrie to meet the encroaching demons with a bath of red flame. Those leading the small pack were immediately engulfed in the flames, their screams loud and terrible. When Amon's flame faded, there was nothing left, and those remaining balked at the wolf's warning hiss, his tail rattling ominously.

Belldandy stared at the Goetia in horror, her face dangerously pale as she froze. "That...did he just..." Her voice was hoarse, and when Keiichi grabbed her the man found her shaking.

"Belldandy?"

The goddess didn't respond; it was as though she hadn't even heard him. Gritting his teeth, the man followed the goddess' gaze, coming to land on Amon, just as the wolf, this time with the ironic assistance of Eir, managed to drag another one of Mada's demons from the sky before tearing into the unfortunate being with an almost voracious hunger.

"Oh...fuck..." Keiichi felt his own stomach rebel at the sight. The wolf wasn't just killing the demon, it was _eating _him, too. _Alive. _The demon's screams still audible, gargled and weak though they were, and Keiichi turned away, noticing too late that Belldandy still hadn't taken her eyes away from the gory scene. "Shit, Belldandy!" Ignoring the world around them, Keiichi grabbed the goddess by the shoulders and spun her around.

"Belldandy, snap out of it, come on." He tilted her chin down to look in her eyes, finding the gentle blue he'd come to know so well wide and blank, glazed over with shock. Again the man cursed, reaching up to gently slap the brunette's cheeks. "C'mon Belldandy, stay with me. I need you-"

There came a shriek from above his head, and Keiichi looked up to find one of the demons swooping down towards them, feet that should have been human instead replaced with with the talons of a raptor.

Another curse escaped the man's lips as Keiichi dove to the ground, dragging Belldandy down with him and shielding her body with his. The raptor man's talons bit through his jacket like paper, and Keiichi screamed as his back ignited with pain. It was like nothing he'd ever felt before; as if his entire back was alight with flame, as though Keiichi was being scalded alive.

His cries seemed to be enough to snap Belldandy out of her daze, and the goddess crawled out from underneath the man even as the raptor-demon returned to the midnight sky. Blood dripped from its talons, and no small amount dripped onto Belldandy as he circled above their heads. "Keiichi!" Belldandy screamed, her cry loud enough that it seemed everyone on the battlefield could hear it. "Almighty bless it!" It was perhaps the closest thing Belldandy had ever said to a curse, and gently her hands went to the man's back, coming to rest on shoulders already growing slick with blood.

A gentle blue glow arose beneath her hands, illuminating the surrounding area as Belldandy focused her magic on the man's wounds. The wounds were bad, the flesh torn open to the bone in several long gashes. The goddess had never seen injuries so grave on a person before, and for a second she balked at the task before her.

Yet the second passed as quickly as it came, and Belldandy's eyes hardened. _For Keiichi._ Her left hand on his head eased his screams, and slowly the goddess moved her right hand to the deepest of the wounds, her minds eye watching as blood congealed into a scab, how muscle and tissue began to knit and how skin slowly began to repair itself.

Yet the wound hadn't even begun to scab before Belldandy's own body reminded her of its injuries, already aggravated from her chase after Urd's double. Her breath came fast and frantic, and the goddess could feel her pulse pounding in her throat, her head, echoing in her ears like a drum. While her mind's eye watch the strenuous process of Keiichi's body healing, Belldandy's physical vision began to fill with spots.

_Need to unlock my..._With her right hand still resting on Keiichi's back, her left moved to her ear, and her arm trembled with exertion. If she could reach her earring, if she could unlock the rest of her power...

"_What in Apsu's name are you doing?"_

Something wrapped around her left wrist, yanking her hand away from her ear. Belldandy gasped, and her concentration broken, she turned to whomever had grabbed her, an enraged snarl on her face. "What are you doing!" Her voice broke in her scream. "If I don't-"

"_If you don't unlock that extra power, you won't kill yourself, Little Fool." _It was Urd. Another Urd, one with blue eyes that flashed like the angry waves of the ocean. _"You've already over-exerted yourself Belldandy and you know it. If you try and unlock all that power now for the boy, you'll destroy yourself. Your body can't take anymore abuse._ Kingu snarled at her before releasing Belldandy's wrist. It throbbed from where he'd grabbed her, and a dark bruise was already swelling around the joint.

She brought the throbbing appendage to her chest, cradling it gently with her other hand. "But I _need_ to!" Belldandy protested. "Keiichi's in pain! If I don't help him he could die!"

Yet the man shook his head, and for a second it seemed as if he meant to drag Belldandy away from Keiichi, whose screams had died down into low moans and harsh breaths. "_The boy will live without your magic. See to it that you do as well."_

And he was gone, leaving Belldandy alone and shaking in the midst of a battlefield. The woman's concentration broken, Belldandy's body took the opportunity to remind her of its own pained state, now multiplied by the use of the very magic that had originally been aiding the healing process of her own body for Keiichi. The pounding in her head grew greater as though it were a migraine, and the drum in her ears seemed to drown out anything else.

"Kingu..." Belldandy mumbled, her right hand moving to clutch her head. "Why...why could I see through him?"

And Belldandy's world went black.

* * *

"Belldandy!" Urd felt her heart plummet into her gut as she watched her younger sister collapse. A lump of panic rising in her throat, the bronze woman almost forgot her own situation, cornered as she was. Her back pressed hard against the side of the house, the woman eyed the four demons who surrounded her, a grimace on her face that turned into a snarl. "Get out of my way you bastards." She rumbled.

Yet none of the three that surrounded her did as bid. If anything, they drew closer, cutting off Urd's view of Belldandy, lying collapsed next to Keiichi, who writhed and squirmed on the ground like a dying animal. _Damn it. God _damn_ it! _The goddess bared her teeth at the demons, eyes darting from one to the next. She had no magic. She had no weapon. What was she supposed to do? _Could try to barrel through them. No, won't work. They'll just grab you, which is what they want in the first place._

_Ah fuck it._

The woman lunged at the demon closest to her, the one on her far right, and startled at the sudden hostility the man stumbled back. Taking the opening, Urd sprang like a cat on the man, knocking the both of them down as she wracked her nails across his eyes. The man cried out in pain, flailing wildly beneath the goddess. One of his punches struck her in the side painfully, yet it only seemed to enrage the goddess, shifting her weight on top of him before burrowing a thumb into his left eye. There was a strange, barely audible 'pop', as though she'd popped a grab, and the man's cries turned into shrieks.

The demon rolled then, and Urd rolled with him, the two switching as Urd's side hit the ground hard. Yet her opponent made no strike against her, simply writhing and screaming on the ground, both hands clutching his left eye.

The goddess crawled out from beneath him, scurrying to her feet and readying herself to bolt towards Belldandy.

"You bitch!"

Only to wheel around and come face to face with one of her other pursuers, his fist coming fast at her head. The goddess didn't even have time to think about dodging, and his blow connected with the woman's cheek with enough force to knock her back to the ground again. "You took his eye! You fucking bitch, you took his eye!" A boot sailed into her stomach, and Urd gasped, curling into a ball of pain in a desperate effort to shield her body. The next kick landed on her shins, the next her arms. "You bitch!" He screamed. "You bitch! You bi-"

His curses turned to screams in her ears, and when the next kick didn't come, Urd peeked her head through the arms she'd been using to protect her head and face. The demon was standing on the balls of his feet, and the point of steel protruded red and glistening from his breast. There came a gut-wrenching tear, and the rounded point slowly curved a path up, igniting further screams before the metal emerged from his shoulder.

When he dropped, Mara remained, flecks of blood dotting her face and trickles of red trailing down the hand that bore her _kukri_. The expression on her face was foreign, and for a moment Urd thought it was another demon she was staring at, another doppelganger that wore Mara's face instead of her own. And then Mara spoke, and any thoughts that the demon before her was someone other than Mara were demolished.

"What the hell are you doing Urd?" Mara demanded. "This ain't the time to be fooling around! Stop playing around like a helpless maiden and help me out! I could really use your magic right about now!"

Carefully, Urd uncurled herself and moved to stand, each move causing a new flare of pain to flare in her body. "Love to." She gasped. "No magic." The goddess pulled the sleeve back on her shirt, displaying the band of metal that snaked around her wrist.

Mara scowled as the examined the band before pulling back with a growl. "Of all the times..." The demon muttered with a growl.

A shadow moved behind the demon, and without thinking Urd grabbed her friend, pulling Mara towards with all her strength when the bronze woman caught the flash of steel rising above the blond's head. They'd forgotten about the final demon, and his blade came down fast enough to make the air sing.

Mara stumbled into the the goddess with a curse, before wheeling around with her own blade, catching the sword in the bend of her weapon before knocking it aside. Yet before she could raise her _kukri _against him, a geyser of water exploded from his free hand, hitting Mara in the stomach with enough force to knock the fanged woman down.

Mara hit the ground with a grunt, rolling away from the demon as he moved to finish his attack with a stab, and his weapon sank into the earth. _I most be the stupidest goddess on Earth._ Urd thought to herself, before charging the man as his blade lay buried, leaping over Mara and planting a foot into the attackers chest. Both combatants fell to the ground, and Mara grunted again as Urd's head landed on her wounded arm, her free hand pounding the earth in pain.

"You okay?" Urd rasped, shakily climbing to her feet and grabbing the weapon that had been buried in the ground with a grunt.

"Peachy." Mara grimaced before following after her, retrieving her own blade from where it had dropped.

In front of them, the demon rose with a grunt, eying them warily. His eyes settled on Urd before dipping down to her new weapon, and the man grinned savagely. He snapped his fingers, and electricity cackled around the hilt, arching and dancing its way up Urd's arms.

The goddess shrieked as the magic assaulted her, unable to release the weapon and halt the flow of magic as her hands seized up, grasping the hilt all the harder. The bronze woman's body jerked and spasmed, falling to the ground only to thrash and scream on the earth.

Mara turned to her friend with a shout, taking her eyes off her opponent for just enough time that he lunged at her. The two went down with a grunt, hitting the ground hard as the demon pinned the fanged woman to the ground. Resting his weight on her stomach, the man wrestled the _kukri_ from Mara's hands, even as she kicked and squirmed under him.

His eyes glittered malignantly in the darkness, and with a sadistic smile, he finally tore the blade from her grip. "I'm going to kill you." He muttered, his voice a low, thick rumble that sounded coarse in Mara's ears. "And then I'm going to fuck your bleeding corpse." Weapon free, he smashed the butt-end of the _kukri _across Mara's face, and the blond demon shrieked in something to bestial to have been human, bucking and thrashing beneath the man as she tried to dislodge him from her body.

The man's free hand, initially used to grip her shoulder, slid down Mara's arm, and her shrieks rose even louder as his nails burrowed into the wound she'd acquired from the ax. Spots filled her vision, her heart an echoing pound in her head. Yet through the spots she could still see the demon, and what she saw was him raising the _kukri_ over his head.

Yet before he had a chance to bring it down upon her, a shadow dropped behind him, and the man gagged. The weapon fell from his hand and the pain in Mara's arm dissipated as instead the demon began clawing at his throat, eyes bulging and the skin around his neck tightening unnaturally.

Than Eir pulled and the demon fell towards her, clutching and clawing at his neck as he desperately tried to unlodge the wire at his skin. Eir spread her arms wide, and suddenly a collar of red beaded at the surface of his neck before dribbling down his skin. He did not move much after that.

Panting, Mara propped herself up on one elbow, staring at the Valkyrie incredulously. "You just ki-"

"Urd!" Eir interrupted the demon as if she'd never heard Mara speak, and for a moment it sounded as though her voice reverberated with two tones. One of the tones Mara recognized for the Valkyrie, and one that was deeper, masculine, and so familiar that for a moment Mara was almost certain she saw-

"Do your duty, demon!" Eir snarled, golden eyes blazing as she pointed behind Mara and to where Urd lay. "Don't let them take her!"

Urd had fallen still with the death of the demon, his blade no longer conducting his magic into electricity now that it's owner lay dead. Yet the goddess was unconscious, and from where she laid on the ground a light sprouted around her, red and angry. A magic circle, the sigil formed above Urd's body, engulfing the goddess in its light.

_My duty, eh?_ With a grunt and a stumble, Mara picked herself up once more, this time not even bothering to pick up her _kukri_ from where it'd fallen. "Take care of that for me while I'm gone." She said, pointing to the weapon from where it lay next to the demon's corpse. "My grandfather would skin me alive if he saw I left it out in the open like some toy."

A smile that almost looked sly passed across Eir's face, and in that moment Mara was certain of who she was speaking to. With a smile of her own, the demon offered a two fingered salute of departure before wheeling around and dashing towards Urd. With a howl the fanged woman dropped into a slide, one booted foot lashing out in a wave of red magic that sent Urd flying out of the circle.

Just as Mara entered it.

The circle completed, the demon was bathed in a red glow before vanishing from sight.

Above her head there came a roar, loud and deafening and followed by two near-identical roars.

Eir looked up. "And so the cavalry finally arrives." High in the air, Lind hovered, eyes glowing a haunting gold against the stars of the sky. Around her, the three heads of a hydra snarled and snapped, hissed and screamed. The lone Valkyrie let out a roar, one echoed by Valu's dragons, and as she dived so too did they follow, descending upon the remaining demons of Mada's swarm.

From the trees, inhuman screams arose, and Eir found herself naming each of the Goetia who emerged from the forest with Valu's roars. Amy the wickerman, Glasya-Labolas the winged hound, Blackthrush Caim, Sir Furcas the Cruel.

It proved to be the turning tide of the battle as Eir moved to stand guard by the fallen Urd, preventing any other demon from approaching the fallen woman. Badba Catha and Amon worked side-by-side, the Mad Crow forcing one demon after another towards the ground and Amon's flame, roasting the demon's alive. Valu's dragons herded one demon after another into Lind's ax. Even Eir found herself aided as Glasya-Labolas came to stand at her side, playing the part of a mad dog as froth and spittle flew from his muzzle, growling and snarling at any who approached.

Mada's numbers drastically reduced from the dozen demons that had accompanied her to the Assiah. The numbers dropped by half, five, four, and the demons were on the defensive.

"Retreat!" Mada screamed. "We've got what we came for! Retreat!"

The four that remained did as bid, and when they did it was a shout from the other Urd-_False Gamori, _a voice in her mind whispered-that prevented the Goetia from chasing after. Badb Catha and Lind looked like they wanted to go after Mada's remains as well, yet the Mad Crow was eying her temporary colleagues warily, Lind rubbing the grip on her pole arm as she regarded first one, than another Goetia. Even Eir found herself a little anxious around the winged hound, who had come to sit beside the youth panting, looking up at her with the same golden eyes the Valkyrie-kin adorned.

_Bune._

This time the voice she heard was foreign to her, speaking less of the roar she'd come to associate as the other in her head and more a bark she could understand. Than the hound turned and moved behind Eir, heading towards Urd and reminding the Valkyrie that there were more than just combatants on the field.

The winged mutt sniffed at the fallen goddess, even moving so far as to give the dark woman a tentative lick on the cheek, as though expecting to rouse the goddess. Yet Urd did not move, and so instead Glasya sat at her side, looking up at Eir expectantly.

Badb Catha seemed to have similar thoughts in mind. _Gather the Norns and bring them inside._ When Eir looked to the mute woman, she found the Mad Crow staring at Urd-no, Gamori-critically. _It seems we have much to discuss with our new...comrades._

Eir looked around. The house was a wreck. She could seen the torn-off remains of the roof somewhere off in the distance. Never mind the bodies. Demon corpses littered the surrounding area, red dying the rock and grass that even now, she stood upon. Though still fresh, it wouldn't be long before they began to reek either. "What about the dead?"

The false-Urd, Gamori looked over to her, a slim smile on her face. "Leave them for the the beasts." She said, sweeping her hand across the field. "It's been long since they've had such a feast. Let them care for the dead."

* * *

The first thing Urd noticed upon awakening was the smell. Rancid and raw, it fell hot and steaming on her face, and unconsciously the goddess made a face, rolling over in a desperate bid to escape the smell. A high whine arose somewhere near her right ear, than came the sound of nails tapping on wood. The sound moved above her head and then the smell was in her face again.

Something smooth and moist brushed her cheek, and with a grunt Urd opened her eyes, staring blearily into a pair of golden orbs set within a muzzle lined with sharp teeth. The bronze woman jumped, immediately scrambling away from the canine only for the hound to trot after her, tail beating the air gaily as it approached.

"Bad dog." Urd said, eyes wide as she backed up. "No. Bad dog. Bad dog _bad dog_!" The mutt was prancing towards her now, barking and nipping playfully at her face.

Urd saw nothing but teeth.

Her back bumped up against a wall, and unable to back up any further the mutt plowed into her, resting its forepaws on Urd's shoulders before proceeding to bath her face in licks. When Urd opened her mouth to yell at the beast, she found her predicament worsened as the hound's long tongue slid into her mouth.

Urd's eyes widened in horror, and a muffled scream tore from her throat. Her hand collided with the side of the beast's muzzle hard enough to make it yelp against her, and suddenly the goddess found herself tongue-free. "You son of a bitch." The goddess hissed, her glare holding a dangerous flicker that made the canine dance back from her anxiously. A moment later, and the dog was bolting out the door.

"Come back here you son of a bitch!" Urd scrambled to her feet, chasing after the beast and out the door, some dim part of her only then realizing she was back in her room. In the hallway the air was cool and unnaturally moist, the walls she passed damp as though covered in morning dew. "I swear on the Almighty, I'm going to make a coat out of your fur, Mutt!"

The dog was fast. Urd only caught the end of its tail as it bolted out the front door, but before the door could even bang shut the silver-haired goddess was outside as well. Yet what she saw made her freeze. Any thoughts of the dog's kiss flew from her mind, and Urd's breath caught in her throat.

Above her head, the sky was illuminating with the first hints of dawn, and with the light of the sun, the true horrors of the night prior lay displayed before her. The crows were everywhere, croaking and cawing to each other and hopping from one body to the next, picking at open wounds and yanking out pits of torn flesh. One crow hopped by with an eye dangling from its beak, yellow and clouded as it hung from the cluster of nerves the bird carried it by.

The bodies-those few that remained-lay strewn about the yard in pieces, as though someone, something had ripped them apart for the sheer joy of the experience. Still new, the more intact bodies had only just begun to swell and bloat with gas. It did little for the smell however, which, even with the morning sun, still rose and hung heavily in the air.

Ahead of her the dog bounded on, and in the sunlight Urd thought she caught the refraction of light of wings. A moment more and the instant was gone; little more than an illusion in the morning sun.

The mutt came to a stop in front of another canine, this one holding a more demonic appearance to its smaller kin with the large black scales that ran down the base of its spine, ending in a serpentine tail tipped with a rattle. The two yipped and barked at each other for a while, nipping and snapping at one another before the smaller one rolled onto its belly, licking at the larger beast's muzzle.

"I see the Lady is awake."

The voice was unfamiliar to her, and with a start Urd turned to its owner. A pair of blue eyes looked up at her from beneath a tumble of blond hair. The red sigils on his face spoke of the demon-kin, yet his insignia was unfamiliar to Urd. He was rather short for a demon, young on top of that. The stranger looked like he'd barely made it out of puberty.

He smiled up at her. "The Lady heals fast for one with such injuries. A Crow bore a Lady with cracked ribs and burns, yet here she stands, ripe as rain." The youth took a step back, dipping into a low bow before the goddess. "Tis true what they say. The Lady is gifted with a mother's blood. An honor it is for one to be serving such."

Baffled at such an odd display of behavior, Urd took a step away from the blond, her face uncertain. "And just who do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" She asked wearily, uncertain if she wanted to know the answer.

The demon rose with the grace of a cat. "Why the Dragonrider Valu, good Lady."

Valu? The name didn't ring any bells in Urd's mind, and so the goddess nodded slowly. "Right, of course." The silver-haired woman turned to survey the yard once more, a frown tugging at the corner of one lip. "Where is...what happen last night?" Violet eyes surveyed the environment. Had there really been so much..._carnange _last night? Urd couldn't recall, but judging by the look of things, she wasn't even sure if she wanted too.

"A battle was fought." Valu's voice suddenly grew serious, empty of the lightness of his initial greeting. "A Lady was injured, a cousin stolen. The prey fell and predators feasted." Urd looked down at the youth, and when he looked up to meet her gaze, his eyes held a somber expression that almost seemed to physically age him. "This one offers apologies to the Lady." He said. "A child vanished, a man gone. A sibling recovered, though only by one. Naught Valkyrie nor Goetia found trace of demise."

Urd stared at the demon, letting the words sink into her mind. And with a snarl, her hands wrapped into the material of his shirt, and Urd hoisted him off the ground. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" She screamed.

"It means exactly what he said." A hand, the flesh as dark as her own, wrapped around her wrist, tightening to the point where the grip burned enough for Urd to release her prisoner with a gasp. Valu fell to his feet with a grunt, than sprang away before Urd could reach out and grab him again.

That was fine with Urd. She had someone else to take her anger out on now. "And just who the hell are you?" She demanded, her free hand twisting into a fist as Urd lurched towards her double.

The woman blocked it with a scowl, a mirror image of the one adorning Urd's own face. "Gamori, Valu's commander and the leader of the Goetia that saved the ingrate and her sister." She hissed.

Urd's ears perked up in interest. "Skuld?" She asked.

Yet Gamori's scowl only grew deeper. "No. You. And the other. We've found no sign of the girl-child." Slowly, the demon released the grip on Urd's wrists. "And the boy was taken. You can thank Valu that they did not take the other sister as well."

Urd withdrew her hands to her side once more. They throbbed angrily from where Gamori had grabbed her, yet she hardly felt the pain. "No." The goddess shook her head angrily. "That's a...that doesn't even make sense!" She snapped. "Why would they take Skuld? Why Keiichi?"

"Because they couldn't take you." Gamori's eyes bore into her. "Because we wouldn't let them."

The silver-haired woman ran her hand through her short locks, pacing angrily in front of Gamori. "Than why didn't you do the same for them?" She demanded. "You should have...why. Just why. Why didn't you save them."

"Our orders were simple, that's why." Gamori responded flately, crossing her arms across her chest as she glared at Urd. "We were to find _you._ We were to protect _you._ We weren't to let Vikoka touch_ you." _The demon shrugged. "So why would we care about a child and a mortal? They weren't a part of the mission, and Goetia do not go above and beyond for gods or men. We are tools of the Daimakaicho, not some rescue force for the gods." She spat.

_This can't be happening. This isn't happening. It's not supposed to. Skuld is safe. Keiichi's in the house. Belldandy's with him. This isn't happening. This isn't happening. This isn't...This isn't..._And yet all around her Urd saw evidence of another story, one that only reinstated the words Gamori spoke.

"Almighty bless you!" Before she even realized what she was doing, Urd threw herself at Gamori, hands curled into claws. The attack was unexpected, and together goddess and demon fell to the ground, cursing and snarling, kicking and punching. There were bites, scratches, and Urd's world became a whirling blur of nothing but herself and the demon who wore her face.

Somewhere a dog barked and near it a wolf howled, and suddenly voices were rising around them, hooting and howling, calling out jibes and curses and bets. Yet the goddess was blind to their faces, the only one that mattered being her own, and how hard she could crush Gamori's face. A snap of teeth at one's throat, the feel of nails raking cheeks. Fists beating against wounds and knees digging into stomachs. Snarling, growling, hissing, spitting.

And than a pair of hands were on her shoulders, disentangling the goddess from her opponent and hoisting her to her feet. Yet the more rational part of Urd was long gone, and violet eyes saw only the white flash of a uniform before twisted and squirmed in attempt to attack the Valkyrie. Only Badb Catha was not one to waste times with fights, and when Urd finally managed to free a hand long enough to strike at the Valkyrie, she felt something sharp jab warningly into her stomach.

The goddess froze, teeth bared and fist raised, violet eyes wild and frenzied. Badb Catha stared back, red eyes as hard and unyielding as steel, a dagger threatening to puncture through Urd's shirt and into her belly. _Jus...wild...I remember..._A voice, rough and throaty, echoed brokenly in Urd's mind. _Y...stop...finish...I...started..._The words came barely audible in her mind, resembling too much the screams of crows for Urd to fully understand. Yet there was a warning in the mute warrior's eyes, one that sent off warning bells in Urd's head and extinguished the fire that had so roused with Gamori's words.

Somewhere behind Badb Catha Lind spoke. "I believe there's been enough fighting in this shrine. Let's not try to instigate anything new." Urd's eyes darted from Badb Catha to Lind, yet the Valkyrie wasn't looking at Urd, rather looking past the goddess and in Gamori's direction. "I hope you understand; Urd is sick with worry right now. She isn't in her right mind."

Urd bristled at the comment, and she almost spoke against the Valkyrie until she felt the dagger prod a little deeper into her belly. Lind continued as though she never noticed. "However, at the same time, I believe it's time you and your fellows departed, Goetia. We have contacted the heavens above for more forces after the events of last night and have been assured that we will receive a new flight to relieve us. We Valkyries do not forget an act of kindness upon us. You aided us while we were under attack, though your motives were your own. For that reason alone we are allowing you to take this time to leave the surrounding area before our relief arrives. Unless you want further bloodshed, you will leave now."

Urd couldn't see Gamori's face from where she stood, but she could imagine it easily. In her mind's eye Gamori was scowling. "Well Boys, it seems we've already worn out our welcome here." The demon said. "I suppose only a fool would decline such a charitable offer." There was a mocking edge to the demon's tone. "So by all means than, let us prevent anymore mishaps from starting. Daimakaicho forbid more fights arise because of _us_."

Mutters and grumbles arose from behind her, and Urd felt Badb Catha's blade leave her stomach. Grimly, the goddess lowered her hand from where she'd been about to strike the crow, instead stepping away from the woman and turning towards the demons at her back. There were fewer than the woman had initially thought. Five in all, including Gamori. Now all with their back turned towards her.

The two canines led the way, trotting off towards the treeline. Two older demons whose names Urd had never learned followed after the duo, one with a mop of flaming red hair and the other an old man. Valu was next, hands behind his head with Gamori bringing up the rear. One by one they disappeared into the forest, with Gamori being the only one to pause and look back. Her gaze found and held Urd's.

_We'll be back._

And then she too was gone, leaving nothing but bloated carcasses and the stench of death in their wake.


	24. Matters of the Heart

"Damn it Lind, let me go!" Urd snarled at the Valkyrie, yet the woman gave no response, simply staring at the raging goddess, her face void of any expression. The look seemed to only further aggravate the irate woman, and with a frustrated growl Urd buried her hands in short-cropped hair, pacing a hallway lined with debris. "Why don't you get it?" The violet-eyed woman demanded. "I can't stay here. I need my magic. I need to go after Skuld!"

It was a one-sided conversation, one that had been going on for an hour now. Above their heads, the dawn had lightened the night sky into a rosy hue, and despite the night's violence, the songs of morning birds chirped and sang. The crows didn't sing, however. Those that had survived the battle and weren't feasting on the dead lined the very hallway Urd paced, and whenever the goddess looked up she'd find them staring down at her with their beady black eyes.

"And just what would you do if I were to allow you your magic?" It seemed Lind was nearing the end of her patience with the goddess before her. "Would go out seeking them? This...Vikoka?" She demanded. "Would you so easily allow yourself to dance to his tune?" The Valkyrie narrowed her eyes. "Furthermore, have you forgotten the reason why it is you wear that band, Urd?" The lone wolf latched hold of Urd's wrist, pulling up the woman's sleeve and revealing the dull metal. "Badb Catha branded you because of the fact that she believes you're practicing Goetia craft. Do you think any Valkyrie, never mind myself, would allow you access to Yggdrasil when they believe you a criminal?"

Urd tugged on her wrist, a venomous sneer on her face. Yet Lind's grip was strong and remained firm around the limb. "You aren't going after them, Urd." The woman continued. "Everything that has happened here has been logged. When our relief arrives, you will return with us to meet with Mandanu and Athena. And while you're in their hands, be it for better or for worse, a Valkyrie Task Force will be sent after Skuld and Keiichi." The woman gave a strong yank on Urd's wrist, forcing the goddess to look the Valkyrie in the eyes. "For I can guarantee you, any one Valkyrie is more capable than a bound, outlaw goddess, Urd."

The woman released Urd's wrist, and with a snarl Urd lurched back. "Go." The Valkyrie ordered. "Spend what little time you have left wisely. Speak with your sister. Meditated on what must be said and done with Mandanu and Athena. I'm done listening to your yowling." The Valkyrie turned and stalked off, leaving Urd alone in the ruined hallway.

The goddess grit her teeth irritably, watching the woman's back until it vanished inside a room. Then with a howl the woman smashed a fist into one of the hallway walls. A snarl on her face, Urd glared at the fist, catching the slight sheen of light reflecting off the slip of metal that peeked through the sleeve of her blouse. The wood beneath her knuckles splintered and creaked, and a small red spark hopped across her skin.

Startled, the goddess froze, scrutinizing the red light and watching as it danced and sprang against her skin, leaving soot and scalded remains behind where the spark touched no flesh. Her anger momentarily forgotten, Urd slowly withdrew her hand from the wall. Her fingers ached and her knuckles throbbed, and red seeped up across the bony digits from where she'd pierced her skin against the wood of the hallway. Yet the goddess ignored it, favoring instead that small spark, allowing her fingers to dance and swirl with the tiny light and causing it to travel across her palm.

And just as quickly as it came, so too did it instantly vanish, leaving Urd to stare at her hand in bewilderment. "Shit." She hissed, noticing the small rivulets of blood trickling down her skin. Drawing her hand to her chest, the woman wiped the blood away with the opposing sleeve of her blouse, leaving several smeared paths of red across her dark flesh.

The goddess brought the wounded appendage to her mouth, licking the welling blood away from the cuts the cuts and surprising herself when the wounds crusted quickly into small, dotted scabs. "I...can do that." The woman stated aloud, staring at her hand and gently rubbing the scabs with a finger. The pain was gone. "I can do that?"

Perturbed at more than just a red spark, Urd frowned, biting her lower lip before the woman buried her fingers in already mussed short hair. "I don't understand this." She growled. "What the hell is happening to me?" With an irritated sigh the goddess allowed her hands to fall to her sides, and for a moment Urd simply allowed her gaze to drift skywards. The murder of crows stared back, a silent audience that seemed to judge her every move. A corner of a lip twitched irritably, and Urd raised her fist at the birds. "Piss off, carrion eaters." She snapped. "Go eat some eyeballs or something."

One of the crows responded with a scratchy caw, and around it the creature's brethren joined in its screams. The voices rising and falling, the noise sounded like laughter at some points, like screams at others, and Urd felt a shiver race down her spine.

Abruptly the woman turned her back to the murder, marching further down the hallway and entering Belldandy's room, hoping to escape the eyes and the cries. She didn't like the gazes some of the crows were giving her; like she was a piece of meat they were eagerly waiting to tear into. Sliding the door with a smart _snap_ shut behind her, Urd sighed. Almost immediately the tension that had arisen in the hallway dissipated, leaving Urd weary and exhausted. "Damn birds."

At least she was no longer constantly under the Mad Crow's eyes anymore. Not unless Belldandy was hiding a crow up her skirt. _A __lot __of__ good __that __would __do __Ol'__ Catha __right __now._ Urd's eyes fell to where Belldandy rested, curled up once more beneath the blankets of her bed. Some small part of her imagined a small lump rising and shuffling about angrily at the cover's beneath Belldandy's waist, and Urd could almost hear the annoyed and angry squawks of a phantom crow.

The goddess snorted, banishing the mental picture with rueful smile. "You really are a twisted woman, Urddy-Girl." She muttered softly, approaching her sister and moving to sit beside the resting goddess.

For a while Urd simply sat, enjoying the peace that naturally came with Belldandy's presence, despite the condition of the goddess in question. The woman looked at her sister, taking in the pallid condition of the brunette's skin and the crusted red that covered her hands. Someone's blood, though Urd doubted it belonged to Belldandy-at least the blood on her hands. _So __she __was__ healing __someone__ then._

Keiichi Perhaps? One of the Valkyries? There had been so much activity during the fight that Urd hadn't had the opportunity to monitor his younger sister. _And __look __what __it __cost __you-you __never __did __live__ up __to __that __whole __'Big__ Sister' __image__ you__ tried__ so __hard __to __portray, __did __you?_ The bronze woman grimaced, a fresh wave of guilt washing through her. _I __need __to __save__ Skuld._

_And __how __do __you __intend __to __do__ that?_ The voice in her head sounded suspiciously like Lind, and the goddess buried her face in her hands, trying to rid herself of the thoughts. "I don't know." She told it, at a loss of a proper answer to the harassing voice. "What am I going to do?"

Something moved to rest on her shoulder, and with a start, Urd turned to Belldandy, finding the goddess in question watching her with tired blue eyes. The lights were out in the room, casting the woman in shadows and darkening the brunette's eyes into a rich, deep cerulean. Gently, Urd adjusted her position next to the bed, bringing a hand up to rest atop Belldandy's own. The dark woman gave it a soft squeeze. Belldandy's hand felt too hot.

"How you feeling?"

The pale goddess didn't even dignify the question with a verbal response. Instead Belldandy snorted before sending her older sister The Look; a look of extreme annoyance, irritation, and exhaustion dashed with just a tiny bit of 'screw you'. Throughout most of Belldandy's life, Urd had known her sister to trust The Look to only two people. One of them was dead.

Urd tried and failed to smile, choosing to focus on the wall behind Belldandy rather than meet her sister's gaze. "Yeah...I thought as much." Her laugh was weak and fake even to Urd's ears.

"Urd..."

The bronze woman met her sister's gaze, and the concern that dwelt within hurt. _It's __not __me __you __should __be __worried __about, __Belldandy._ The goddess bit her lip, a lump in her throat. "Belldandy...Skuld is...and Kei-" The silver haired woman stopped mid-sentence, her throat locking up on her as a sense of despair overwhelmed her. The goddess grit her teeth, fighting against the lump in her throat before trying again.

"I'm sorry. Belldandy, I am so sorry." It hadn't been what she'd intended to say, but the words came out regardless. "I screwed up, Belldandy. I screwed up and now everyone I know is paying for it." Urd's free hand clamped into a tight fist, wringing the cloth of her shirt angrily. "If I hadn't...If I wasn't..." The woman shook her head angrily. It felt like a vice had clamped around her throat.

There came a soft grunt and a shuffle of cloth, and when Urd dared look to Belldandy again, the woman was sitting up. Propped up by her free hand, the other was still imprisoned beneath Urd's palm, and with a start Urd realized her grip was crushing Belldandy's hand in her own rage. Quickly, Urd withdrew her hand. Belldandy did not. Instead the Norn met her sister's violet eyes. "Please." She rasped. "Explain."

A whimper escaped Urd's throat before she had a chance to silence it, and suddenly the hand on her shoulder shifted and a pair of arms moved to drape around her, gently pulling the Norn into an embrace. It was too much. And as Urd allowed herself to be pulled against her sister, the dams she'd been holding back were released, and Urd began to sob. "This is all my fault Belldandy!" The bronze woman cried. "They've been kidnapped! All because of me! I should have been the one taken! Not Skuld. Anyone but Skuld. They were supposed to come after _me,_ damn them! And now I can't even-I can't even..." A scream, pained and enraged, tore from her throat, and the woman buried her fingers in her hair, gripping it tightly in frustration.

The scream died down into a low moan, and unwittingly Urd rocked against her sister. "And I don't know what to do." The woman's admission came out in a whisper, so soft it almost went unheard. "I don't know what to do!" Belldandy swayed with her, resting her chin on top of Urd's head and sighing softly into the short silver locks. Her throat was still too scarred from the potion, and it had started to hurt again upon reawakening in her room, despite Urd's earlier attempts to relieve the pain. She could barely talk, let alone sing.

"I fucked up Belldandy. I fucked up real bad, and for once there's nothing I can do." With that, Urd lapsed into silence, eyes clamped shut and a her expression strained and desperate, the very essence of despair.

The younger Norn remained silent, a soft grimace passing over her features at Urd cursed and then cursed once more. With one final sigh the goddess pulled away, releasing her embrace around the darker woman's shoulders and looking at her sister with a soft frown. "Urd..." She croaked. "Sister, look at me."

It took a moment, but slowly, the Norn of the Past turned to regard her sister, and Belldandy's frown deepened as she beheld the alien emotion in her sibling's violet eyes. _Shame.__ She's __ashamed__ of __herself. _In all the years she'd known her older sister, Belldandy could not recall a time when Urd had displayed shame in any way, shape, or form. Her sister was too proud, too arrogant even, to feel such an emotion, and for Urd to display such an emotion was on par to Belldandy feeling hate to another living being.

_This__ will __do __no __good __to __anyone._" Urd, I want you to know that I love you dearly," Belldandy began. "And that I only do this for your benefit." Ignoring the question dawning on Urd's face, the woman moved close to her sister, kissing the dark woman on the brow. With that, she slowly pulled back, and a hand lifted into the air.

A resounding _smack_ filled the room.

And then came silence.

For a brief eternity, time seemed to stand still. Neither woman moved. Belldandy's hand still raised above her opposite shoulder, Urd's face still turned to one side. Then time returned, and slowly a dark hand moved to Urd's face, fingertips lightly grazing the red that was slowly blossoming across her cheek. Shocked amethyst eyes drifted to Belldandy, meeting a pair of calm, cerulean-blue.

"You slapped me."

There was no anger in the comment. No rage. No hurt. Merely a bemused stupor that trailed along with the shock as Urd turned to face Belldandy once more. "You slapped me." The goddess repeated, staring blankly at her sister as Belldandy lowered her hand to her lap once more.

Several hours ago, Keiichi Morisato had proven himself to be mortal by lashing out at a demon disguised as a goddess in a fit of vengeful rage. While against his personality; that of a cheerful, sometimes dimwitted yet rather intelligent mechanic, his actions were still excusable in the eyes of the divine. Keiichi Morisato was human, thus prone to error.

Belldandy was not.

Belldandy was the essence of kindness and the personification of gentleness. Rage and hate were near non-existent, jealousy such a foreign emotion it had been unrecognizable when the Norn had first felt it. She grew sick at the sight of blood from anything more than a light scratch and dictated peace throughout her household. Death and murder were abhorred to her, and the idea of harming anyone or anything for any other reason than protection was a foreign notion to her.

However Urd was not the only one who'd been affected by the night's events.

Belldandy had watched in horror as the man she loved assaulted his demon-possessed seniors with a crowbar. She'd risked her life for a demon that had been driven insane for reasons unknown and paid in her own blood for the act. She'd stared in confusion at the branded wrist of her sister, scarred by a Valkyrie's cuff used solely for those accused of the worst crimes and watched in bafflement as Keiichi struck a woman she'd mistaken for her sister. A Valkyrie had died in her home, and she'd been tasked with the responsibility of explaining death to a child. She'd watched a wolf and a Valkyrie tear a demon to shreds, seen a man set on fire, and had been saved by Keiichi from the vicious talons of a monster by throwing his body atop her own.

She'd witnessed the wounds.

She'd seen the death.

And Belldandy could no longer claim to see the world in all it beauty anymore. The world had an ugly side to it, and whether she wanted to or not Belldandy had seen that ugly piece.

"That's enough out of you, Urd." The goddess rasped. "Don't let me _ever_ hear you talk like that again. I'll not have you blaming yourself for anything. It is not your fault that Skuld and Keiichi were kidnapped, anymore than you are to blame for the death of Herja." Something that almost passed for a scowl appeared on the woman's face. "And don't think I don't have the strength left to slap you again if you even _consider_ the prospect of getting kidnapped instead of Skuld. Or me. Or _anyone_ else. You could not have known what would happen to Skuld anymore than I could know what would have happened to Keiichi." The goddess' eyes flashed, and the woman paused, swallowing several times, her jaw tight.

When she spoke again, her voice trembled. "It's not your fault Urd. Don't blame yourself for another man's actions. No one here blames you, and I'm sure if Skuld and Keii-" Belldandy's voice cracked, and the woman cut herself off, clenching her hands tightly together. Gritting her teeth, the Norn continued. "They do not blame you either, Urd. However, do not assume that you are the only person here who wishes to save them either." The words came out hot, almost angrily. "But there is a difference between you and me, Urd. One of us is not confined to a bed, where even her _hallucinations_ are telling her to use no magic. One of us is cunning and witty and can still move about, though her magic is bound. One of us..." The woman took a deep breath. It sounded like a sob. "One of us...you can..."

Anything else was incomprehensible, and Urd stared at her younger sister as realization dawned on her. _She's __trying __so __hard __to __be __strong. __She's __out __of __her __element, __yet __even __still __I'm__ coming __to __her, __looking __to __her __for __strength __when__ she's __lost __more __than __me. __I've __lost __my__ magic __and __I've __lost __Skuld. __She's __lost __her __baby __sister__ and__ the__ love __of __her __life._ The woman looked away, abashed, before rising to her feet.

Urd seemed to tower over her sister, and for the first time Urd _looked_ at the younger woman. In the darkness of the room, the Norn look small and frail. This wasn't the woman Urd had grown up with, striving to emulate all the good that was Belldandy. This was a young, sick woman, locked in a bed and ill with worry for the people she loved. This was no first-class goddess. This was a woman who was looking to _her _for strength. Perhaps even Lind or Badb Catha. Anyone stronger, anyone older, anyone else who could take up the mantle and tell the rest of the world 'it will be alright'. _When __all __she __wants __is __to __hear __someone __else __tell __her __those __exact __words..._

The voice sounded more like World of Elegance than her own subconscious, and with the revelation came a fresh wave of guilt. The goddess stooped, wrapping her arms firmly around Belldandy's shoulders. They were quivering. "I am a cruel and selfish woman." She murmured softly, ignoring the way her sister clutched so desperately at her blouse. "And for that I apologize."

"I should have never come to you. This isn't your responsibility, nor is it your weight to bear. It's mine." She confessed, and with it, a long and mournful cry rose from within her arms, tearing from Belldandy's throat only to be muffled by Urd's shirt. "But it's okay." The goddess continued, feeling her eyes burn as her own tears returned. "It's going to be okay, Belldandy. I'll figure this out. I'll bring them back, Skuld and Keiichi. I'll bring them back safe and sound and then we can laugh it all off as another crazy adventure, alright?" The bronze woman stroked Belldandy's long, brown hair, her voice rough. "I'll take care of this." And then her own self-restraint vanished, and as the tears fell into Belldandy's hair, so too did Urd allow herself to sob, joining Belldandy in her anguish.

It was unknown for how long they remained within the room, sobbing and crying and clutching each other for comfort, mourning the loss of their loved ones. It could have been minutes, it could have been hours. It didn't matter.

When Urd finally rose to leave, Belldandy was asleep against her, her hands still clutching Urd's blouse in a weak grip. Gently, the silver-haired woman pried her sister's fingers away from her shirt before carefully laying her sister down on the bed. "Keiichi..." The brunette mumbled, and Urd paused to stare down at her sister.

"I'll bring him back for you." The goddess whispered. "I promise." Tugging the blankets up over Belldandy's shoulders, the woman straightened before turning to leave.

She never noticed the cerulean eyes that watched her back.

"You come back too, Urd."

* * *

_I __can't__ believe __I'm__ about __to __do __this._ The goddess licked her lips nervously, rubbing her palms against her pants. Urd was sitting against one of the empty walls of her room, cross legged and with her back leaning against the wall. She would have used the bed, but Herja had used it last. And so instead Urd sat against the wall.

Stretching an arm out in front of her, the Norn narrowed her eyes, focusing on the center of her palm. When several minutes passed and nothing happened, the goddess sighed. "What am I doing?" She grumbled. "Come on Urd, it's not like you actually had magic for a second. It was a fluke, a trick of the light." But still...The goddess stared at her palm. It had _felt_ real. The spark hadn't harmed her, true, yet it had still burnt the cloth around her wrist, and Urd could still see the black soot that laid smeared across the metal band.

The bronze woman grunted. "Figures it wouldn't be that easy. What were you expecting, your magic to 'mysteriously' return to you?" She muttered, flexing her hand before letting it fall limp into her lap. "Hard way it is then."

The goddess closed her eyes with a sigh, inhaling deeply only to exhale for just as long, allowing her body to relax minutely with each passing breath. Slowly, the Norn felt herself grow disconnected from the physical world, seeming to fall within herself as she sank into a meditative trance. And when she opened her eyes again...

_...The __world __within __was __gray, __with __flashes __of __white __lightening __illuminating __her __mindscape, __only __to __be __pierced __by __black __flames. __Somewhere __in __the __gray __clouds __that __harbored __the __lightning, __Urd __caught __a __glimpse __of __wings. __A__ bird __at times, __an __angel __at __others, __its __silhouette__ stood __illuminated __against__ both __light __and __dark, __and it__ soared __within __the__ bleak__ sky __climbing __non-existent __thermals __as __it __passed__ above __Urd's __head. __Thunder __was__ the __scream__ of __a __raptor, __echoing __across __the __landscape, __and__ for __a __moment__ Urd __remained __stationary, __allowing __the __violent__ wind __to __nip __and__ tug __at __her __body. __The __air __was __static, __and __sparks __of __gold __danced __and __flickered __with__ each __beat __of __thunder, __with __each __strike __of __lightning. __It__ smelled __of __rain__ that __had__ yet __to __fall, __thick __and__ heavy __and__ clinging __to __her __skin._

_Perfect._

_She__ walked __across __a __trail __of __river __rocks, __made __cool __and __smooth __from__ the__ wear __and __tear __of __rain__ and __wind. __Above __her __head, __wings __beat __a__ steady __drum__ of __thunder __into __the __sky, __and __their __owner __descended, __falling __into __a __dive __as __World __of __Elegance __moved __to __meet __her._

"_What__ is__ it__ you__ seek?__"_

_Safe __within __Urd's __mindscape, __the __angel's __voice __was__ the __whisper __of __pouring __rain, __and __as __the __woman's __feet __touched __the__ ground, __the__ creature __drew__ her __wings __tight __against __her __body. __Flecks __of __condensation __beaded __the__ angel's __body, __the __water __gathering __upon__ the__ wings__ only __to __fall __from__ feathers __both__ black __and__ white._

"_The__ source__ of__ the__ red__ spark.__"_

_The__ angel __frowned__ slightly __at __Urd's __words, __her __wings __rustling __uncomfortably __behind __her.__ "__I __know__ of __it.__" __She __admitted.__ "__Though__ I__ fear __to __go__ near __it; __not __when __I've __no __magic __of __my__ own __to __defend __myself __with.__"_

_The__ goddess __frowned.__ "__What __do __you __mean?__" _

"_You've__ been __bound. __And__ so__ too__ has__ everything __that __you__ represent, __Urd. __My __magic __is__ your __magic;__ I _am_ your __magic. __Where __that __spark __came__ from...__" __The__ angel __trailed __off, __looking __over __her __shoulder __and __out __into __the __distance, __where__ the __landscape __steadily __darkened __into__ a __black __void.__ "__To __go __there __would __be__ to __give __up __half __myself-half__ of _you_. __That __is__ not __my__ decision __to __make.__"_

_The__ goddess__ nodded__ silently, __her __expression__ unreadable__ as__ she__ gazed__ into__ the__ void._

"_You're__ going __to__ it,__ aren't __you.__" _

_A __statement__ over __a __question, __Urd's __eyes__ darted__ over __to __the__ angel, __meeting __a__ calm__ pair __of __mismatched __eyes __gazing __back. __After__ a __moment's __hesitation, __the __bronze __woman's __gaze __fell __to __the __ground __and __Urd __nodded __in__ agreement.__ "__If __circumstances __weren't __so __dire, __I__ wouldn't __even __consider__ it.__" __The __Norn __said.__ "__However...__" __The __goddess__ shook __her __head, __hands __clenched __tightly __at __her__ sides._

_The__ angel __nodded __sagely.__ "__Yes.__" __She __said.__ "__We __could __not __stay__ this__ way __forever. __You __know __this __better __than __even __I. __We __both __knew __this__ day__ would __come __eventually, __though __I'll __admit__ it __was__ sooner __than __either __of __us __predicted.__" __The __tattooed __woman __directed__ a __small, __rueful __smile__ towards __the __goddess__ before __it __vanished. __ "__Know __however, __that __I __will __be __of __no __help __to __you__ on __the __task __you __are __about __to __undertake, __for__ this __goes __against __my __very __nature __as __an __angel.__"_

_Silver __brows__ furrowed__ together __in __confusion.__ "__You're __not __going__ to __try__ and __stop __me?__" __Urd__ asked.__ "__What __I'm__ about __to __do __could__ destroy __you.__"_

_The__ angel __shrugged.__ "__It __didn't __destroy__ me__ last __time,__ and __if __I __did stop you, __what__ would __it __achieve? __You'd__ still __be __in __distress. __An__ angel's __goal__ is __to __achieve __stability __with __her __host __on__ all __aspects __of__ the __soul; __physical, __emotional, __and __spiritual. __My__ preventing __what__ you __wish__ to __achieve__ would __do __all _but _that.__" __World __of __Elegance __tilted __her __head __upwards,__ glancing __at__ Urd __with__ one __blue __eye.__ "__Besides,__" __She __said, __a__ smirk __on__ her __lips.__ "__I __am__ born __of __your __soul, __which __is __as __dual-natured __as__ any__ mortal's. __With __one __foot __in __the __dark __already,__ it __will __take __more__ than __you__ giving __up __your__ divinity __to __kill __me.__"_

"_Last __time __was __different __though." Urd argued. "__I'd __changed__ only __for __a __small__ amount __of __time__ and__ I __was __still __able __to __return__ to __myself __with__ the __aid __of __my__ sisters. __This __time __is __different. __I'm__ not __going __back __after __this. __What__ will __happen __to __you __if __this __doesn__'__t __kill __you?__"_

"_I'm__ not __entirely __sure." World of Elegance admitted. "__However,__ I __do __have __an__ idea.__" __The __angel __stepped __towards__ Urd,__ and __a __pair __of __tattooed __hands __came__ to __rest __on __the__ bronze __woman's__ shoulders. __Leaning __close __to __Urd, __the __angel __rested __her __brow__ against __Urd's.__ "__Don't __worry __about __whatever __fate __awaits __me.__" __She __said __softly.__ "__Skuld __needs__ you more than I __and __most__ of __your __life __you've__ spent __without __me __there __for__ guidance. __You're __a __strong __and __independent __woman,__ Urd. __You'll __do __just __fine __without __me.__"_

_The__ angel __leaned __back, __only __to __be __pulled __back __into __a __tight __hug. __A __soft __squeak__ escaped __the __angel's __throat, __yet __otherwise __the __being __did __nothing._

"_Thank __you.__" __Urd's __whisper __was __so __soft __that __Elegance __had__ to __strain __her __ears __to __understand __it.__ "__In__ the __short __amount__ of __time __I've __known __you, __you've__ become__ my __best __friend.__" __The __grip __around __the __angel __eased.__ "__Thank__ you__ for__ understanding. __Thank __you__ for__ being__ there. __And__ I'm__ sor-__"_

_World__ of__ Elegance__ hushed __her __before__ the__ goddess__ had__ a__ chance__ to__ finish.__ "__And__ that __will__ be__ enough__ out__ of__ you,__ Dearheart.__" __Gently,__the __tattooed__ woman__ eased __herself__ out__ of__ Urd's__ grip.__ "__Because __I'm __not.__" __The__ angel__ smiled__ cheekily.__ "__In __fact,__ in __all __honesty, __I'm__ rather __proud __of __you __Urd.__ You're __all __grown __up.__"_

_Baffled,__Urd __stared __at__ the__ angel __in __confusion._

"_In__ your__ time __since __descending __to __the __Assiah, __you've __grown __so __much __Urd. __You've __accepted __yourself, __you've __matured. __You've __learned __to__ forgive. __You __are __not__ the __same __young __woman __who __first __tried __to __seduce __Keiichi __nor __the__ same __older __sister __who __loved __to __instigate __the __baby __of __the __family __into__ one __fight __after __another.__" __A__ hand __came__ to __rest __on __Urd's __shoulder, __as __black __as__ it __was __white.__ "__From__ this __point __on, __do __not __regret __any __action __you __undertake.__ You__ will __make__ sacrifices. __Such __is __the__ nature __of __who __you__ are. __Regret __nothing,__ lest __you __forget __the __reasons __behind __your__ actions. __Acknowledge__ your __deeds __and __accept __them,__ but __never __regret__ them. __Make __peace__ with__ yourself,__move__ on,__ and __enjoy__ life.__" __The __hand __moved__ from__ her __shoulder __to__ cup __her __chin, __and __World__ of__ Elegance__ tilted__ it __upwards, __meeting__ a__ violet__ gaze __with__ blue-black __eyes._

"_Do __you __understand?__"_

_A__ variety __of__ emotion s__played __across __Urd's __face: __Fear,__ remorse,__ anguish, __anger, __and__ the __goddess __closed __her __eyes. __She __breathed __deeply, __though __each __breath __trembled. __Yet __when__ she __opened __them__ again, __her__ expression__ had __hardened,__ and __only __one emotion __remained__ on __her __face.__ And __with __it __World __of __Elegance__ smiled, __nodding __her__ head __in __approval.__ "__Good.__" __She __cooed.__ "__That __is __good.__"_

_The__ angel__ released__ Urd's __chin, __stepping__ away __from__ the __goddess.__ "__Now__ go. __You __will __be __fine __without __me __and __we've __wasted__ enough__ time __talking. __There __is __still __one __more__ demon__ you __must __meet__ before __you__ can __save__ your __sister. __It __is __time __for __you __to __face __it.__" __The __tattooed __entity __spread__ her__ wings, __sending __out __a __burst __of __heat__ that__ made __the __air __sizzle __and __snap__ with __sparks.__ A __beat __of __wings, __a__ snap __of __thunder, __and__ the __angel __was __off, __disappearing __into __the__ clouds __above__ once __more._

_And__ Urd__ found __herself __grinning, __though __her __smile __was __small.__ "__I'll __see __you__ in __the __next __world.__" __She __mumbled__ before __turning __and __heading __off__ towards __the__ source__ of __the __red __spark, __descending __into __a__ darkness __that __slowly __devoured__ her._

* * *

_The __brightest__ darkness. __Embedded__ within__ the __darkest __light. __It __was __something __that __could __not __be __seen.__ Nor __could __it __be __heard __or __felt, __tasted __or __smelled.__ It __was__ something __that__ could__ only __be _experienced_. __Within __the __deepest __depths __of __the __soul __it __dwelt, __and __Urd__ experienced__ it __in __a__ manner __no __words __could __describe. __Rain__ water__ dancing __in __magma. __The__ fiercest __of __winds __as__ still __as __stone. __The __youth__ within __the __elder, __the __wisdom__ of __a __newborn. __The __silence__ of __laughter__, the __sound __of __a__ tear. __The __beauty __of __destruction, __the __horrors __of __creation;__ all __were __made __possible__ in __the __depths __of __the __soul._

_It __was __here __where __the__ source __of __the red __spark __lived, __a __place__ she__ knew__ well. __Hagall__ had __forced __her__ to __this __place,__ once __upon__ a __time__, __and __it __was__ here __Urd __returned. __The__ crystal, __the __lock, __was __just __as __she__ remembered __it; __a __glossy, __shiny__ black, __reflecting __hues__ of__ spilled __blood__ across __its __smooth__ surface. __It __was __a__ frightening __beauty __to __behold, __and __where __once __she__ would __have__ run, __now__ Urd __beheld __it __with __a __solemn, __grudging __respect._

"_You__ helped__ me __before.__" __She __told __it, __and__ for __a __moment __the __goddess __thought__ she__ saw __her __reflection __in__ the__ bloody __sheen__ of the __crystal. __The __goddess __licked __her __lips,__nervous.__ "__You __helped __me.__ And m__y __sister,__ though__ I __wasn't __strong__ enough__ to __hold__ you.__" __A __hiss, __one __that __seemed__ to __come __from__ all __around __her __threateningly. __She __flinched, __and __in__ the__ impossibilities __only __the __soul __could __create, __Urd __imagined__ creatures __in__ the __bright-dark,__the __dark-light, __watching __her, __snapping, __hungry, __waiting._

_The__ goddess__ bit __the__ inside__ of __her__ cheek__ hard __enough __to __break __flesh. __Liquid __lightening__ coated__ her __tongue __and __tasted __of __thunder.__ It __elated __her. __It __terrified__ her.__ Yet __above __all, __it__ filled__ her __with __hope.__ "__She's __in __danger __again. __My __sister. _Our _sister.__"_

_Shrieks __and __snarls, __hisses __and __screams, __all __seemed __to __rise __into __a __chorus__ that__ pounded__ against __her __ears, __filling __her __mind__ with __'why?'_

"_They __were __after __me. __So __they __went __through__ our __weakest.__"_

_A__ new__ chorus__ arose,__ drowning__ out__ the __'why?'s__ and__ replacing __them__ with __anger, __with __rage, __with__ hate.__ 'Kill' __some__ whispered. __'Destroy', c__rowed __others.__ 'Rend.' __'__Slaughter.' __And__ so __many __more._

_Yet __there __was __one __voice, __one__ that __was__ different __from __the __others. __'Save.' __It__ whispered, __in __a __voice __so __quiet __it __was __a__ scream. __It __was __to __that __voice__ Urd __reached __out__ to. __She __strained,__ stretching, __reaching, __grasping __desperately. __The__ snaps __and__ snarls __faded __into __white __noise __and__ the __whisper __in __her__ mind __grew __stronger __'Save.' __A __scream,__ a __shriek,__fierce __and__ frightening __and __demanding. __'Save.' __'Save!' __'SAVE!'_

_Her __hands __wrapped __around__ something __smooth__ and __solid; __the __crystal. _'SAVE!_'_

_And__ Urd __screamed__ as __the __crystal __erupted __into __spires._

_Long __and__ sharp __and __pointed, __they __pierced__ her __skin, __punctured __the__ flesh __and __erupted __through__ the __back__ of __the __limbs,__ imprisoning __her__ as __they __spread __further __out__ from __the __crystal.__ The __goddess__ screamed, __shrieked, __and __howled. __She __tugged __at __her __limbs, __at __the__ crystal, __lengthening __the__ distance __between__ her __body __and__ the __protruding __spires__ as__ they __expanded, __the __burn __of__ fire __intensifying __into __the __searing__ pain__ of __liquid __gold __bubbling __from__ her __palms __and __molten __metal __flowing __through__ her __veins. __Small __flecks __of __white __protruded __from __black-red__ flesh, __growing__ longer __and __brighter __as __skin __peeled__ away __from__ the__ muscle, __exposing __the__ bone __buried __within._

"_No__."__ Her __hands __burned __like __magma,__her __blood __trickling __on __top __the__ crystal.__ Not __one __drop __fell __from__ it __though,__ the__ red __liquid __seemingly __absorbed__ as __though __by __magic.__ "__No.__" __The __spikes __punctured__ her __legs, __her __feet, __her__ arms, __and __oh __how __they __burned __with__ hellfire.__ "__NO!__" __This __was __different __from__ before. __There __had__ been __no __spikes __last __time,__ no __pain, __no __fire._

_A __spire __came__ to __rest __at __her __chest,__ and __Urd__ froze. __It __rested __right__ at __her __heart, __and__ she__ could __feel __the __point __digging __into__ her __skin. __There __it__ rested__, __the __sudden __growth __of __spike __coming__ to__ an __indefinite __halt __against __her __body. __Skewered __by __spikes __and __incapable __of __moving,__ Urd __stood __there, __panting __and__ gasping, __tears __trickling __down __her __face__ as__ she __swallowed __air__ in __large __gulps. __Every __breath __scalded __her. __Even __the__ most __minute __of __motions __caused __a __fresh__ wave __of __pain __to __race __through __her, __leaving __her __weak __and__ light-headed. _It's draining me._ She__ thought. _It's draining me and it's going to kill me. _Her __fingers __tingled __and __she__ needed __to __fight __to__ keep __her __knees __from __buckling. __Soon__ it __would __only __be __the __spikes __themselves__ holding __her __up, __and__ if __it__ came __to __that..._

"_W...__"__ A__ moan __rolled __out __of __her __throat, __and __Urd __gasped,__ trying__ again.__ "__Wha...doing?__" __She__ had__ to __fight__ to __speak.__ Her __tongue__ felt __thick__ and __numb __in __her __mouth,__ her __jaw __too __heavy __and __her __lips __lax.__ "__Don...want...not __like...before.__" __She __managed,__ panting __heavily __with __fatigue. __She __couldn't__ feel __her __arms __anymore,__ nor __her __legs, __the__ numbness__ replacing __the __molten __metal__ coursing __through__ her__ veins __and __only __spreading __further. __Urd __almost __would __have__ preferred __the __pain._

"_Is__ it__ not__ power__ that__ you __seek?__" __The__ snarl __voice __from __before,__ rough __and__ grating __in __her __ears. __The__ Norn __caught __her__ reflection __in __one __of __the __long, __black __spires, __only __to__ discover __it __wasn't__ 'Urd' __she __was __looking__ at.__ Urd __didn't__ have __such __wild, spiky__ hair, __nor __was __her __skin __as __dark __as __the __reflection __in __the __mirror. __Urd's __eyes__ had __never__ been a dull red that seemed to absorb the light rather than reflect it nor had she ever had so many rows of long, sharp needle-teeth._

"_Hild?__"_

_The__ reflection __moved__ with __a__ will __of __its __own, __rising __from__ the __black-red __pillar; __a __hand __first, __followed__ by __an __arm. __Its __sister-limb __came __next__ and __both __hands __came __to __grasp __the __outer__ edges __of __the __spire, __and __the __entity__ hoisted __itself __from__ its __world. __A__ head __awash __in __silver, __skin __as __brown __as __the __bark __of __a__ tree, __it __emerged __to __its __torso,__ where __the__ rest __of__ its __body__ fused __with __the __crystal __and __the __beams __that __pierced __Urd._

_The__ creature __pulled __its __body__ up __along__ the __spire, seeming __to __fall __like __liquid, __like __blood,__ from__ one __to __another __before __attaching __itself __to __the__ spike __that__ rested __against __Urd's __heart. __A __hand __reached __out, __thin __and __delicate__ with __nails __long __and __curved __like __the __talons __of __a __raptor, __and__ the __fingers __brushed __Urd's __chin; __gently, __lovingly.__ "__You __wish __to __save __those __you __care__ most __for, __do __you __not?__ To__ protect __those __who __are __your __family?__"_

_It __was __moving__ closer __to __her, __its __body __pressing __up __against __hers, __the __other __arm __draping __over __her__ shoulders. __It __felt __warm__ and__ slick __against __her __flesh. __Like __fresh__ blood. __Like _her _blood.__ "__You __want__ this __more __than __anything, __yes?__" __Urd __found __herself __unable__ to __respond, __yet__ something __in __her __expression __must __have __spoken __for __her, __for __the __beast __woman __smiled__ none__ the __less.__ "__More __than __a __lover, __more__ than __respect, __more __than __a __family __of__ your __own?__" _

_It__ met __Urd's __gaze, __and __its __eyes__ were __great __and __terrible, red rubies __filled __with __the __wisdom__ of __the __non-existent __and__ the __possibilities __of __the __void. __The __hand __on __her __cheek __moved__ to __grasp __her __chin, __forcing __Urd __to __look __upon__ those __grand __and __horrible __eyes. __The __goddess __found __herself __drawn__ into __them,__ its __gaze __almost __as__ hypnotic __as__ it __was __terrifying. __For __in __its __eyes, __potential __also __dwelt, __and __it __wrapped __itself __around __the __Norn's __mind,__ filling __her __head __with the shadows of __possibilities __and__ blinding __her __to __the __world __around__ her._

"_Only__ that __which __we__ desire __most__ is __worth__ dying__ for.__" __Yet __Urd__ barely __heard__ the__ entity__ speak.__ Nor__ did __she__ feel__ a__ hand__ move __away,__ falling __back__ to __the__ spike __that __was__ slowly__ piercing __her __chest._

_With__ a__ sudden__ thrust, __the __deed__ was __done __quickly__ and __quietly; __a__ spire __that __ended __in __a __taloned __hand __emerged__ from __Urd's __back __grasping __tightly __the __Norn's __heart. __A __weak __cough, __and __Urd's__ body __seemed __to__ sigh __before __it __slumped __against __the __spikes, __against __the__ creature's __body._

_And__ so __it __held __her __in__ its __one-armed __embrace, __the __hand__ retreating __from __Urd's __back __and__ chest, __clutching __tightly __still __the__ woman's__ heart._

"_And__ so__ the__ serpent__ shall__ shed __her__ skin.__"_

_With__ that __the __creature __sank __its __teeth__ into__ the __heart, __tearing __it __apart__ piece __by __piece__ and__ swallowing __them__ whole._

_Blinded__ to__ the__ world__ around __them,__ Urd__ watched __on__ through__ blank__ eyes,__ listening__ with__ ears__ that __heard__ nothing__ but__ the__ void._

* * *

.

..

...

"...ey..."

"...Hey...p..."

"Wake up!"

With a start and a scream, Urd opened her eyes and sat up. Water drizzled down her face, and dripped from her hair, warm and sweet, and into her clothes. Panting, the woman sat there for a long moment, trying desperately to recall her last moments. When she did the violet eyes widened, and with a loud oath the goddess went about examining herself, checking her hands, her feet, even going so far as to lift up her shirt and examine her chest. Nothing but solid, healthy flesh met her scrutiny. No wounds, no holes.

No pain.

No death.

Panting, the woman stared at herself in disbelief before covering her face with her arms, her hands moving to bury themselves in her hair. With a muffled laugh, the Norn drew her legs up to her chest, allowing her elbows to rest on her knees. She was alive.

And wet.

The goddess was sitting in water. A lake perhaps, maybe a swamp with how warm and humid the air felt. The water was warm at least, and clear, coming up past her ankles. Moss or something similar weaved and swayed beneath her toes, soft and spongy against her bare feet. No doubt slippery as well. Somewhere out in the distance, Urd thought she heard the sound of water lapping at a shore, but the goddess couldn't be sure. Not with the mist the Norn had opened her eyes to.

Peaking through her arms, the goddess observed her surroundings. Unfortunately there was not much to observe. The world around her was coated in a fine white mist. At twenty feet her surroundings grew hazy. At fifty Urd could see nothing. What she did see, however, was a lot of white. A small tilt of the head up showed an unknown light source somewhere high above her head, blocked again by the surrounding mist. Somewhere out in the distance she thought she saw something protruding from the ground, yet for the life of her she couldn't figure out what it was.

Something touched her shoulder, and with a yelp the goddess jumped. Startled by the woman's scream, the child back peddled several steps, bumping into the legs of the woman behind her. A dark hand moved to steady the youth, and Urd's eyes widened as recognition dawned in violet eyes.

"Easy Lass." Hild's accent was foreign and sharp in Urd's ears. "This one looks as lost as you. It's doubtful she's a threat."

The girl in front of the Daimakaicho nodded a head of silver hair in understanding, yet none the less regarded Urd with a pair of baleful violet eyes before darting behind the taller woman. The demon lord smiled wanly, and as a violet eye moved to peak around Hild's legs mistrustfully, the wild-haired woman moved a hand to rest on her head. "Now stop that." She scolded gently. "Look at her, she's just like us. There's no reason to fear her." The child looked up at Hild anxiously, but otherwise said nothing, choosing instead to bury her face against the material of Hild's dress.

The demon sighed before looking at Urd with a half-smile. "You'll need to forgive the lass here," she said. "She seems to be rather fearful of the denizens of this world." The woman approached the sitting goddess, offering a dark hand to Urd. The Norn stared at the offered hand in confusion and no small amount of suspicion before finally grasping it, allowing the demon to hoist the goddess to her feet.

Hild looked at her in curiosity, tilting her head to one side like a dog. Her nose twitched. "A strange smell from this one." She murmured. "What realms do you hale from, I wonder?"

_She __doesn__'__t__ know__ me. _For once Urd found herself as mute as the child that hid herself at Hild's side, capable of little more than staring at the woman. It was Hild, yet she was...different. Younger. And not in the manner of one of Hild's avatar's either. Those creatures still held a great deal of power and thus were adorned in the same wild amounts of jewelry as the original body to seal her power. The woman before her was bare of all but the simplest of jewelry, and then only for decoration. Urd could sense no magic working as a seal on the demon. _It's __her __eyes._ Urd realized. _Her __eyes__ don't __hold__ that__ same__ level__ of __power __that__ always __cowed __me.__ And__ she__ feels...inexperienced. __Wild.__ Like__ an__ animal__ that __was __crammed__ in __a__ human__'__s__ flesh._

Her gaze fell to the child at Hild's feet, meeting familiar eyes and watching as the little girl broke their gaze. _And __that_ _kid_…She was injured, Urd noticed. It looked as though the child had been attacked. The area around the youth's right side was singed and red and blistered, as though something had scalded her in just that small area. And Urd was not blind to the way the child favored her left hand, nor the ugly hole that looked to have pierced it straight through. _Have __I __gone__ back __in __time?_

"Do you have a name?"

Urd blinked, returning her attention to Hild. "Sorry, what?"

The woman narrowed her eyes minutely, and something alien flashed behind the violet orbs. "A name." She repeated. "A title in which you call yourself or another calls you. Something you go by or identify with. Do you have one?"

_Yep.__ I __must__ be __in__ the __past. __Her __remarkable __sarcasm__ hasn__'__t __changed __in __the __millennia __I__'__ve __known __her. __To__ think __she __was __a __bitch __even__ this __far __back._ "Well…" Urd countered. "Do you? How about the little girl? Neither of you have really volunteered your names to me."

The woman crossed her arms over her chest, scowling at Urd irritable for a moment as she contemplated the Norn's question. Finally, after a moment she said, "I asked you first."

The goddess stared at the demon incredulously. "Are you ki-_so_? I asked you second." She pointed to the silent girl at Hild's feet. "_She__'__s_ probably going to ask third! It doesn't matter! Just answer the damned question!" The goddess snapped, losing her temper with the duo for just a moment.

Hild flinched at Urd's tone, something that would have driven the goddess to wondering if she was going insane had the circumstances been different. "Ummu-Hubur." The woman said with a frown. "That is what I am called. The child has no name, for she does not speak."

"Ummu…_Hubr_?" Urd repeated. "Not…Hild?" Her gaze darted to the child, then to Hild. "And you're saying I-she can't talk?"

The demon snorted. "What is Hildr?" She asked, her accent adding an 'r' to the end of the name. "Ummu-Hub_u_r is the name the Others call me. I know not where you get this Hildr from." The wild-haired woman than looked down to her charge, who eyed Urd with an unreadable expression. "And it is not that the lass cannot speak. It is that she _does_ not speak." The woman wrapped an arm around the child's shoulders, and Urd watched as the girl visibly relaxed under her touch. "She has a voice, for her cries were what drew me towards her. She can speak, for she calls me 'Ummu', as do the Others."

_That__'__s __because __she__'__s__ me__ and__ thinks__ you__'__re__ Hild, __just __as __I __do. __Her __name__ is __Urd __and__ she__ calls __you__ '__Ummu__' __because__ '__Ummu__' __is__ '__Mother__' __in __the __old,__ dead__ languages__ you __forced __us __to __learn __growing __up. __Ummu__-__Hubr, Ummu__-__Hubur. __Mother.__ Mother __of __what? __What __the __hell __is __going __on?_

The demon raised a sharp eyebrow at the Norn. "Now I have offered you more than your fair share of information." Hubur's tone had changed, and the hairs on the back of Urd's neck rose in warning. "As such, I demand that you tell me your name, as well as how you entered the Serpent's lair."

_Well __shit, __now __what __do__ I__ do?__ '__Well, __funny __story __about__ that __actually, __see __my __name __is __Urd, __just __like __that __little __girl __cuddling __up __at __your __side __right __there. __I __got __here __because __I __thought __a __really __monstrous __version __of __you __popped __out __of __the __crystal __in __my __mind __holding__my__ demonic__ origins __decided __it __was__ going __to __kill __me__ and_ succeeded_. __Next __think __I __know, __I __wake __up __here,__ and __lo __and __behold, __my __mother __is __in __her __teenage __years __watching __me sleep. __I __have __no __idea __what __the __fuck __is __going __on. __How __do __you __do?__' _"Uruz." The goddess replied, earning a sharp look from the girl. "Second-born of twenty-four. I have no idea how I got here." _Got__ to __make __sure __I __don__'__t __bring __this __up __around__ Peorth. __Especially__ if__ I__'__m__ drunk. __That __woman__ would __kick__ my __ass __if __she__ found __out __I __was __using __her __older __brother__'__s __name,__ let __alone __how __Uruz __himself __would __react. __But__ he __was __named __after __me, __and __I__'__ll __be __damned__ before __I __call __myself__ '__Hagalz__'__._

Hubur tilted her head to one side, the sharp gaze on her face softening slightly. "You don't know?" She asked. "What were your last thoughts before arriving here?"

Urd hesitated, a look of uncertainty flashing across her face. "I'm not sure-"

Hubur cut her off before the goddess could continue. "You tasted death, didn't you."

Immediately Urd's mouth snapped shut, and the goddess stared long and hard at the demon. "You mean…"

The demon nodded, a wan smile on her face. "It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"The both of you?" Another nod, and Urd felt a shiver race down her spine. She looked to the little girl, quiet as a cat with eyes filled with trepidation. "But how?" _And why don't I remember this?_

The demon shrugged. "Any number of ways I suppose. The death of age, or of dis-ease, the death of battle or of love. The death of hatred or of joy. The death brought upon yourself or the death another brought upon you. A magical death, a physical death, a spiritual death." Hubur's eyes gleamed as she stared at Urd. "A not-death."

Urd said nothing, and when Hubur smiled the goddess was again reminded of Hild. "Come. Walk with us. Perhaps the serpent will know what to do with you." Without waiting for a response Hubur turned away, a hand moving to gently grasp the little girl's as the two of them began walking.

Seeing no other options left to her, Urd quickly followed after. "Wait, what's this 'serpent' you're talking about? Why are we going to a snake for guidance?"

Hubur glanced over her shoulder at Urd, a smirk on her face. "Why not? This is the serpent's lair, after all, and its been around as long as I have, if not longer. Besides, when you're a creature gnawing on the root of a world tree, you learn something from the wisdom in its bark. We'll just have to make sure it doesn't-"

The little girl at her side suddenly stopped, and bemused, Hubur paused, looking down at the youth in curiosity. "Lass? What's the matter?"

The child gave no verbal response, shaking her head wildly and releasing Hubur's hand. The child took a step back, than another, a look of terror blossoming on her face before the girl turned and bolted. The wild-haired woman released a cry, and Urd found herself turning and chasing after the youth as well. "Stop! What are you doing? You'll get lost if we separate!" The Norn cried. The girl paid the woman no notice though, darting left and right as suddenly as a deer escaping a puma. "Damn it Urd! Stop!"

_That_ got the girl's attention, and the child froze, her head whipping around to look at the Norn in terror. Quickly, the older woman caught up with the child, who made no further motion to run. "Why are you running?" The goddess asked, panting in between words. The youth looked terrified, and anxiously the girl looked past Urd and into the mist, the look of fear refusing to dissipate. "Hey, what's wrong? What's gotten you so worked up all of a sudden?" The goddess kneeled at her younger self's side, carefully resting a hand on the child's shoulder.

The youth jumped at the touch before looked up at Urd. "Ummu." She said, speaking to Urd for the first time. Her voice was low and hoarse and filled with panic. "Ummu! She's coming! Need to leave. Now!_" _The child pointed anxiously behind Urd, and the woman turned to look.

Hubur was gone, swallowed by the mist as easily as everything else in the realm. The goddess strained her ears, her eyes, searching for some sign of the demon, yet nothing graced her senses. "Shit." Urd hissed, turning back to her younger double with a frown. "Kid, I don't think Hubur's coming. You're little panic attack broke us up. I think we might have lost her in the mist." The woman said, only for the child to shake her head.

"No. You don't understand. Not Ummu-Hubur. Not Ummu-_Hild_. Ummu-Nidhogg!" The child pointed once more, the panic brightening her face to a ghastly pale in the mist. "It's-it's-"

"You're right, I don't understand, so why don't you-" Something hard slammed into her right side, and Urd found herself flung away from the girl. Sailing through a world of light, the woman hit the water with a _splash_, sliding and skidding in the shallow water before finally coming to a rest half-submerged on her side. Groaning, the woman opened violet eyes, watching through a fuzzy gaze as something large and black emerged farther off.

Something smaller, something Urd could only guess was her younger self, was running towards the Norn, and as the mist gradually began to fade around the child, something long and large and black wrapped itself around the the girl's waist, dragging her back towards the monster in the mist with a shriek.

"Urd!" And suddenly Urd found her body didn't hurt so much, the goddess up and racing after the child with a cry of her own. Yet it was no good, and though she tried, Urd found no magic to aid her in her plight, and both girl and beast disappeared into the mist once more. "Damn it!" The woman ran harder, desperate to catch up with the creature, and in the distance, gradually something began to loom above her.

A flare of hope arose in her breast, and the woman pressed on, her breaths coming out in ragged gasps and pants as she pushed herself through the heat and the mist and the water. When the ground beneath her feet suddenly gave way to nothing, Urd yelped, falling forward and submerging herself beneath the water. The silver-haired woman arose with a gasp, panting and heaving and coughing up water. When her feet found purchase one more, the Norn found herself submerged above the waist. Yet the creature she sought seemed not to move, and so with a grim determination she continued on, wading through the water as best she could.

It wasn't until Urd drew close, however, did she realize that what she pursued was no beast; rather, but a root, long enough to walk many a mile on and large enough for several giants to walk abreast upon. "Well...this wasn't what I thought it was." The goddess muttered, wading towards where the root plunged into the water, where it arose and curled up and down like some strange floating mountain range.

There was no monster.

There was no girl.

"Damn it all!" Urd screamed in rage, two fists colliding into the water and sending a rain of liquid on her head. Angrily, the goddess growled, grinding her teeth in frustration. "Now what am I supposed to do?"

The woman ran her hands through her hair, craning her neck back as she looked up to the top of the root. Something at it's top moved, and with a start, Urd leaned further back, trying to catch a better glimpse at the figure. When it moved again, Urd caught sight of a flash of silver hair and dark skin, and with a shout the goddess was off again, racing to where the wood descended into the water and scrambling up the bark.

The bark was thick and smooth with moss; the same sludge Urd had been trudging through since awakening in the realm, and slick to boot; the Norn slipped several times in her attempt to climb to its top before learning where and when to place her weight and her footing. The goddess climbed for what felt like hours, the times she dared look beneath her showing little to no progress from the start of her climb. Yet Urd was nothing if not stubborn, and so gritting her teeth the woman pushed onwards, her own anger and frustration at the situation serving as the fuel to force her on.

When she finally reached a point where the root curved enough that she no longer needed to climb, her hands and feet were raw and bleeding. Blisters had developed and popped and risen again as blood blisters, and splinters and sharp bark has sliced into the soft flesh of her palms and the balls of her feet. Hands and feet throbbed and stung painfully with each step, and Urd could do little but grit her teeth and continue onwards.

If she stopped now, the woman reasoned, it'd be doubtful she'd find the will to start again.

Now safely at the top of the root, Urd stumbled onwards panting. The air up here was thicker than before, hotter, and more humid than the overgrown puddle down below. It was an effort to breath, let alone walk, and her clothes clung uncomfortably to her form. The view hadn't improved much either. Aside from the root, the only other thing Urd could see was something large and towering that the root stretched towards. _Yggdrasil_.

And something else.

It was the sound of panic, the sound of screams and sobs, and it filled Urd with a sense of foreboding. A curse escaped the woman's lips, and limping, the Norn hurried forward. At the edge of the horizon, right before the mist swallowed it whole shadows danced before her eyes, and Urd watched as the larger of the two shadows suddenly crumbled, absorbing the smaller shadow at its side.

A large, panicked wail arose, and as Urd drew closer and the mist cleared she felt her heart plummet from her stomach. It was Hubur, or perhaps Hild, dressed anew in the plain garb of a soldier. The woman had collapsed, violet eyes wide and unseeing as she clutched her stomach, mouth parted in a scream that would not come.

The girl from before was at her side. "Ummu!" She cried, resting on her knees and shaking the demon with both hands. "Ummu! Get up! You need to get up, Mama!" She sobbed, yet the woman at her side didn't respond, convulsing in agony against wounds Urd couldn't see. "Don't leave me Mama!" The demon met Urd's gaze; Hubur, Hild, whatever she called herself, and the woman mouthed something incomprehensible to the Norn.

Then the demon's body shuddered, and with a sigh the demon's body relaxed, the tension easing from the woman's face with eyes only partially open.

She didn't move after that.

At her side the child's efforts grew more desperate. "Mama?" The child squeaked, pausing to look at her mother. "Mama?" The demon didn't respond, and for a moment that stretched into eternity the lass merely stared at the body. The silence was deafening, and without realizing it Urd found herself walking towards the youth. The girl's shoulders began to tremble, and a long, low wail arose from her throat, rising into a mournful howl as she threw herself on top of the demon.

"Hey." The goddess kneeled, her voice a soft whisper as her hands came to rest on the girl's shoulders. The child didn't respond. "Come on. Let's let your mom rest, okay?" The woman gently tugged the child back, and the lass allowed it, shifting her grip from the fallen demon to Urd with a wail and burying her face in Urd's shirt. The woman stroked the girl hair, streaking silver with red and mumbling softly as Urd stared down at the fallen woman, whose chest did not rise and whose eyes were dark, wondering not for the first time since arriving in the serpent's den what was happening. _I don't remember this. I don't remember any of this. I don't remember 'dying' as a child. I don't remember 'Hubur' or this world. I don't remember my mother dying before my very eyes. What is this place? Some giant hallucination? Is this really the past? Or am I experiencing something that never happened?_

A shadow fell over Hild's body, rousing Urd from her thoughts. Looking up, Urd gasped, backing away and instead sending woman and child toppling to the ground in shouts and yells. "It's you!" Urd cried, one arm wrapped protectivly around her younger self as the other worked with her legs, scrambling back as she sought to keep the distance between herself and the creature before her from shrinking.

The creature before her might have resembled something human once, female on top of that, had it not been for the large gaping jaws arising from its chest. Its ribs protruded outwards from its body, and the hole in the things ribcage opened and closed like a pair of jaws, the hole acting as a second mouth seeming to shrink as the creature drew near. Urd saw hunks for flesh and fur and feathers caught between the ribs; bits of a leftover meal of some unfortunate beast. One of its arms looked to have been gnawed off at the elbow, the other too long; an elongated arm that stretched long and wide before splitting into another pair of jaws where a hand should have been. From both the unnatural mouths, breath steamed the air, creating unnatural swirls within the mist.

A pair of red eyes, void of pupils and as dull as raw rubies, stared down at goddess and child, and the creature smiled, revealing a mouth lined with rows upon rows of needle-thin teeth. _Ah, so you've finally arrived. _The monster's voice echoed from within Urd's skull; that same hissing whisper-scream that had filled the darkness of her mindscape, once so long ago. _Come. We have much to discuss._ The creature-more a woman now as the maws on her hand and chest merged more and more with her flesh-turned and walked off, looking over her shoulder only once. _Bring the child as well. I have errands for you both. _Carelessly, the creatures stepped over Hild's body, treating it as though it were little 'sides a fallen tree stump. _Mind your mother as well, children. The woman needs her rest after the ordeal I put her through._

Stupefied, Urd stared at the retreating figure's back, her mouth hanging open in shock and terror. "W-what just happened?" Urd asked shakily as the creature was devoured by the mist once more. The Norn was shaking, and the goddess found she was not alone. The girl in her arms had grown alarmingly silent with the beast-woman's approach, and Urd could feel her trembling against Urd's body.

Looking down at the youth, Urd found her gaze met with a pair of terrorized violet. "Nidhogg." The child whispered, her voice so soft that it took the Norn a moment to realize the child had spoken. "Ummu-Nidhogg." She said, her voice rising slightly as she looked over her shoulder and into the mist. "She said she'd eat Mama because of me." Her voice wavered unsteadily. "But she also tried to eat me too. Her arm ate half of me already." The girl pointed out into the distance, and Urd's gaze followed it.

Out in the distance, right before it could be engulfed by the white of the world, two black figures laid sprawled out in the water. Only one was moving, twisting and squirming atop the other like an overly-large worm. As though sensing its audience, the creature raised its head, drawing its long body up on top the other and spreading two pairs of black wings. A wyvern, it shrieked in warning at the duo before plunging its head back into the carcass.

Urd shuddered. "Is that…?"

Against her the lass nodded and Urd looked away, swallowing bile as her stomach churned violently. "I guess that's what happened to her other arm then, huh?"

Her younger self didn't respond, merely pressed closer into Urd. "I don't want Nidhogg to eat me." She whispered.

_I assure you, I have no plan to do any of the sort. _Nidhogg's voice rang once more into Urd's mind, and wearily both woman and child searched for its owner. The lass gasped as something hit the root hard enough for it to sway, and Urd rolled off her back and onto her stomach, fingers and toes gripping the bark with all her might and caging the girl in between her arms and legs, preventing the girl from being flung from the root._ Two avatars and one demon have proved more than enough to fill my stomach, though I may decide otherwise if the two of you do not come as I directed you. _As the rocking eased, Urd risked a peek down to the water beneath the root, seeing nothing but a large, black body slithering beneath the root and gradually thinning into a tail.

The goddess cursed, slowly withdrawing from the edge and finding the girl at her side once more. She looked as pale as Urd felt. "Nidhogg's scary."

Urd nodded in agreement. "Think we should do as it said?"

The girl swallowed but nodded, shakily climbing to her feet. Urd did as well, and as soon as she did a small hand slid into her grasp. Startled, the goddess looked down at the youth, who looked up at her anxiously. The goddess tried to smile, though it came out a grimace. "Well, we may as well." She reasoned. "Seems to me we either go and hear what the snake has to say and have her eat us, or not and have her eat us anyways."

The girl went white.

Urd grimaced. "Sorry, bad joke."

"Please, no more jokes."

"Alright." Together, hand in hand the walked off in the direction of Nidhogg, choosing to walk around Hild rather than step over her body. It wasn't long after that the mist engulfed the body, and Hild disappeared behind them. Urd didn't know for how long they walked, only that at some point her feet began to burn again. Nidhogg's appearance had scared the pain from her body, but here on the root, gradually descending towards the water once more, the moss and bark had been chewed away. Thick, damp splinters bristled along the root's surface instead, and they seemed all too eager to seek out her bare feet and bury themselves in her flesh.

The goddess was cursing and wincing by the time they arrived at the water once more, though her younger self was polite enough not to comment on her grumbling. At the water's edge moss began to grow once more, soft and warm and gentle in comparison to the splinters digging into her feet. Upon jumping into the water, the duo found it shallow once more, only coming up to their ankles.

Nidhogg was waiting for them as they thrashed through the water. It sat against the bark of Yggdrasil, whose trunk was so large that it seemed to stretch for miles in either direction; a wooden wall that rose and disappeared into the heavens above. Here, another body rested at its feet, one large and looming but baring little resemblance to the creature it once was during its life. Urd could make out fur and feather from its torn hide, and a pair of torn and broken wings that could not seem to decide whether they were feather or flesh, but beyond that Urd could make out little.

At least Nidhogg more resembled a human now. Though its skin was too strange a shade of brown to resemble the hide of another person, at least it was whole. The gaping jaw in her chest was gone, the ribs that had once protruded as teeth once again resting beneath its flesh. Its arm had regenerated, the opposing hand no longer split in two. Yet its eyes were still the glamor-less red of raw rubies, and when it smiled in greeting its mouth was still lined with needle-teeth.

There were other things Urd hadn't noticed about the creature as well. A mane of silver plaits flowed down Nidhogg's back, long and wild, falling down past its knees. Talons curved like a raptors took the place of fingernails, toenails that were long and pointed as the beast-woman walked towards them. As it drew closer, Urd realized why the creatures flesh looked so unnatural at first glance. It wasn't the color. Nidhogg's skin was scaled and patterned. Like a snake's, its flesh seemed to ripple as it walked, holding a dull sheen that reflected the light off the little drops of moisture that dotted it's flesh. Patterned diamonds a shade lighter than its scales crisscrossed across its body, and its mane seemed to flow with its body unnaturally.

_Come and sit children. We have much to discuss. _It turned and waved the duo over towards Yggdrasil, and hesitantly goddess and child followed after, eying the half-eaten corpse warily. Walking behind the beast-woman, Urd noticed something else. The plaits of silver that hung down its back shifted with its walk, and Urd could see where the hair sprouted from the creatures head and down the spine, stopping just below the small of its back.

Sitting down against Yggdrasil once more, Nidhogg pointed at the girl. _Come here child. I'll have a look at those wounds you wear so proudly, since it seems none of your betters bothered. _There was a distinct growl that arose towards the end of its mind-speech, and Urd was given the distinct impression that the creature was scowling at her despite the fact that there were no changes in its facial expression.

Her younger self hesitated, and Urd could feel the child's gaze on her. Urd herself was hesitant to let her go, but Nidhogg seemed to find an easy solution to that problem.

_COME_.

This time it was an order, a roar that caused the girl to yelp and Urd to cover her ears despite the fact that the shout came from within her mind. The creature pointed to its side, and the girl hurried to sit. Nidhogg nodded in approval and then returned its gaze to Urd. _You. Here. _It pointed to its other side, and biting back a retort Urd did as bid.

As the goddess moved to sit the beast-woman turned away from Urd in favor of the child at her side. The youth visibly cringed as Nidhogg gently took her injured left hand in its talons, yet the creature paid no mind, carefully examining the wound and scraping away at dried blood that had begun to flake. The youth flinched, yet otherwise held her silence, perhaps too frightened of Nidhogg's reaction should she speak.

_Hold still. This will sting._ The girl tensed, closing her eyes and looking away as the serpent as the creature sank a talon into its opposing palm, tearing through the flesh and drawing blood. The creature cupped its hand, allowing the blood to well in its palm before pressing the youth's hand on top its own, then sandwiching the wounded limb with its other hand.

The lass gasped, trying to yank her palm away from the serpent, yet Nidhogg's grip on top her hand was strong, and the hand did not move. By the expression on her face, the Nidhogg's actions did more than simply 'sting', and as the girl whined and squirmed in Nidhogg's grasp Urd moved behind the snake, crawling on knuckles and knees to the girl's side.

"Hey, calm down, it doesn't hurt _that _much, does it?" The goddess teased, distracting the girl by rapping her knuckles on the girl's head. It was a familiar game she'd played in her younger days, when Skuld was just a babe and Belldandy still prone to injuring herself by any means necessary. Potions were never easy to swallow, after all, unless done on a dare or as a challenge. Painful injuries, Urd had discovered way back when, were much the same. During such times, distractions from pain were a blessing in disguise.

The youth responded with a glare and frustrated growl, slapping Urd's hand away with her free hand. "Of course it hurts!" She snapped.

Urd laughed, thrusting her face in front of the girl's. "Quit exaggerating. Your just looking for attention, aren't you?" She taunted, watching as the girl's cheeks grew red with anger and drawing another victory line on the imaginary chalkboard in her head. _She reminds me of Skuld. Was I always so easy to tease?_

"No I'm not!" The girl cried. "Let's see how well _you _fair with a sword through your hand! It _hurts!_" With a yowl she tugged once more at her left hand, and Nidhogg released her grip on the limb, allowing the child to trust it up in front of Urd's face. "See?" She demanded. "It's a hole straight through my…" The girl trailed off, and both woman and child stared at the hand in surprise. The injury was gone. Only unbroken, solid flesh remained, one side lightly smeared with blood.

As one, the duo turned to look at Nidhogg, who observed them both in silence. "How did you…?" The two spoke as one, a chorus of young and old rising into a voice that echoed, and Nidhogg grinned.

_You are still injured, Child. As is the Other. Come here where I can hold you and let me fix your other wound, and perhaps I'll teach you something new._ The beast woman gestured to the child, and the girl drew back, a hand going to her side protectively.

Urd poked the girl in the shoulder, making her jump. "Hey, come on, you aren't _scared_ are you?" The woman raised an eyebrow. "Especially for a _little _girl who got her hand impaled by a sword. After something like that, this should be a cakewalk for you, right? Besides, don't you want to learn how Nidhogg pulled that stunt off? I know _I _do." _The sooner you get that hole in your side healed the better_. Urd added silently before planting the smuggest grin she could muster on her face.

Her younger self opened her mouth to retort, than closed it with an audible _snap_. Instead, glaring at Urd, the youth instead made a rude gesture to the goddess before turning her back to the Norn and marching over to Nidhogg. With a twirl of silver hair, the lass moved to sit in the Serpent's lap, scowling at Urd all the while as Nidhogg reopened the slice in its hand, letting the blood well before pressing it into the injury. There was a quick intake of breath, and the youth went stark-white with pain, yet Urd had to give the girl kudos for not screaming. _She wants to make me eat my words. What a stubborn girl._

Nidhogg ignored the duo's antics, her other arm wrapping around the child's torso gently but firmly and moving one of the girl's hands on top of the one resting on her side. The creature's other hand moved to rest atop that, and slowly the creature began to rock, resting its chin on top the girl's head. _Anything can be used as a tool for magic._ It began. _A sword, a wand, herbs or runes, even spit and blood._

_As demons, bodily fluids work particularly well for us, as we are a violent race by nature that draws such fluid on a daily basis. In older days, before so many laws dominated this world, a demon would just as easily attack one of its own as a deity, and so demons evolved a way to counter the injuries sustained. _

_Herbs and healing magic are hard to come by in a world dominated by fire and ice. Salves can only be imported and hold a decreased shelf-life due to the harsh environment that is Niflheim, and though swords and wands can act as magical tools, they can only be used for the task they were originally created for, which is usually to maim or kill. _

_Because of that, our bodies have developed its own sort of unique magic. An internal magic that flows within us, residing within our flesh, our muscle, our bone and blood and sweat and tears. _

_Our saliva, for example, allows us to clean our wounds of dirt and debris. Animals of the Assiah apply this trait any time they find themselves injured or, as is the case with certain species, just to clean themselves for cleanliness. We as a race, however, have evolved to the point where our saliva slows the flow of blood. Our saliva holds enzymes that help encourage blood to coagulate. Stimulated with the magic of our own bodies, we can clot even the worst of wounds in a manner of minutes, the smallest of cuts in less than a second. It is a trait evolved out of necessity, for the demons who bleed the least live the longest. _

_Blood, too, is filled with magic. It is the physical essence of life, and thus is our greatest asset in terms of healing capabilities. For while saliva can clean and bind a wound, it will not heal it. There it is only a fresh wound that has been crusted over-should the clot crack, it will bleed, just as any other wound. Yet our blood is our life, and as our magic, it lives to serve us. Thus a demon with a strong and commanding will can charm its blood. The strongest ones can command the blood of others. It can be used to poison just as it can be used to heal, depending on the blood used. But that is a story for another time, when you both are much older._ The Serpent sent a pointed look to Urd, who looked at the creature in confusion.

Ignoring the look, the beast-woman continued._ As the daughter of Daimakaicho Hild, you hold the strength of magic and will to command your blood. In dire situations, you will instinctively order your blood to heal the wounds you've accumulated in order to better survive a battle. At other times, you might draw your own blood for another, as I do now, spreading it atop another and willing it into that person, urging it to merge with the patient and heal the person as though they were an extension of your own body. This is powerful magic, for that blood shall remain with that person throughout the rest of their lives, and you will be able to control them as you would yourself; their arm becomes your arm, their eyes your own._

_However no such power comes without a price, children. To give another your blood is to give a piece of yourself to that person. They know you as you know you, perhaps even better than you yourself. Your thoughts become their own, just as theirs become yours, and without the proper guards erected, it is easy for either side to grow mad and forget themselves. This must always be at the forefront of your mind should you decide to use blood for magic, for the price will be steep for the careless._

_So too is it with your own innate healing. Nothing is free, and to accelerate the healing of your own body is to sacrifice something else in the process. Something that may not be visible at that time or something that you may find yourself in desperate need of later down the line. Your strength, your magic, your sanity...anything can be scarified. Everything will be sacrificed without discipline and discrimination. Choose when to use such a strength wisely during times of crises. Use it indiscriminately during times of peace. Learn what it is you sacrifice and if you can afford to lose it. If not, learn to sacrifice something else instead. _

Nidhogg ceased its rocking, removing first one hand from the girl's side then the other, which the child still gripped tightly. Beneath, nothing but health skin remained, wet and shiny with the blood of a serpent. The child patted her side cautiously, grinning wildly when no pain accompanied the act. "Cool." She cooed, looking up at the beast-woman's face. "So are you going to teach us then?"

Nidhogg tilted its head to one side, looking down at the child from an angle. _I will teach you._ It agreed._ But to do so you must leave your mother's side for mine. Are you willing to leave her on Yggdrasil's root?_

The girl's brows furrowed together in thought, and a look of trepidation dawned on her face. "But...you...you killed her...didn't you?" The memories of _why_ she was afraid of Nidhogg surfacing on her face once more, the child crawled out of the creature's lap, drawing close to Urd, who watched the event in troubled silence.

Nidhogg's snort was audible. _I devoured your mother's avatar child, not your mother. Her's is only a partial death, just as yours was upon loosing your own avatar to me. She lives, though her recovery is slow. She is an old demon, Little One. Some things take more time than others._

Shocked, woman and child stared stupefied at the serpent. Than the child's shock gradually brightened into elation. "She's okay?" The lass cried. "Is she-can I go see her?"

_Will you leave her side to learn my magic?_

The child nodded, and Nidhogg snorted once more. _Than go and say your farewells. I will speak with the Other while I wait. _

Too excited at the prospect of her mother alive to consider the full aspect of Nidhogg's words, the youth turned and ran off into the mist, disappearing as she scrambled up the root to where her mother's body rested.

The child out of sight, the goddess planted her hands on her hips. "So, is this invitation extended to me as well?"

The Serpent snorted. _I have no reason to teach one who already knows such spells._

The goddess blinked. "I don't remember being taught blood magic."

_You will. _It responded cryptically.

With the child gone, Nidhogg turned towards the body that rested on the ground. _Hild's body. _Urd thought. _Hild's avatar._

_Now that one hallucination is gone I can focus on the second._ Without looking at Urd Nidhogg moved towards the body, coming to kneel behind it.

Urd followed, maintaining what she considered a healthy distance from the beast-woman. "Hallucination? What are you talking about?"

The creature looked up to Urd with a snarl, and something that sounded like a growl emanated from its throat. _This is a world within a world._ It said._ And there is only one permanent resident of this plane. That is me. Occasionally it is that instigating squirrel. Never is it anything else, however._

Urd stared at the creature's back. "Bullshit." She said. "I'm as real as you are, as real as-" She pause, looking behind her and towards the root of the world tree.

A hiss escaped Nidhogg's throat, low and irritated. _It seems you are beginning to understand. _Urd returned her gaze to the Serpent, finding it looking over its shoulder at her. _This mist is filled with nothing but visions. Visions of what was, what is, and what may come to be._ _Time is nonexistent here. There is only myself and the squirrel. And that squirrel is the only reason I know time exists. Everything else is merely a possibility. _It explained. _You begin to see these things the longer you breath the mist. It is easy to ignore at first, but after a time, you find yourself interacting with what you see; with _who_ you see, if only as a way to distract yourself from a stomach that cramps forever in hunger._

"So that girl..."

_Was you in the past. And she was looking at you from the future. It matters not to me. You are both mere visions to my eyes._

Perturbed, the goddess stared long and hard at the Serpent. "If we're just a fantasy to you, than what is your reality?" She snapped.

Nidhogg laughed, a terrible, horrible sound that came from a throat not meant to produce such a sound. _She's imitating us. _Urd realized in horror. _Nidhogg is a snake. One that's built a body to reflect the ones she sees most often. _And with it came another revelation. _Nidhogg is insane._

The ruby-eyed creature continued, ignorant of the thoughts going on within Urd's head. _My reality is what I make of it. As of right now, _you_ are my reality, and so I will choose to aid you. You were the one seeking my strength, I remember, to save that which you cherish._

_You were willing to give up your life if it meant the strength to rescue your loved ones, and so we made a deal, you and I. You have already relinquished your heart to me. And now it is my turn to uphold my end of the deal._ The creature rose from the corpse, turning and approaching Urd. Something was clutched in its hands. Something dark and black and red.

_Your old heart was good._ It continued. _However, it's strength was lacking. It was incapable of holding the power you seek, that which is yours by birth. In the end, you would have been consumed by your own power, and one of my brightest lights would have been snuffed out. This heart however, is much stronger than yours. It will bare the weight of your strength as it sees fit, bestowing upon you magic bit by bit. That is why I devoured the other one, for it is soft and tender, if a little chewy, and yields easily if poked or prodded. This one is hard and tough. Like old leather. Tastes about the same as well._

Nidhogg offered the organ to Urd, and bemused, Urd could think of nothing to do but accept the gift, and so with arms outstretched, the goddess tried not to cringe as the Serpent plopped the muscle into her torn, open hands. "Great..." The woman smiled weakly. "I...I have a new heart." Was it her imagination, or was the thing pumping in her hands? The woman looked from the heart to Nidhogg. "So...what do I do with it?"

The beast-woman smiled. It liked to smile, Urd realized. Maybe it didn't fully understand the meaning behind a smile. _You have no heart beating within your chest right now. _The creature reached out and tapped a talon against Urd's chest hard enough to spear the cloth. _Therefore it needs to go inside you. And everyone knows the fastest way to a demon's heart is through its stomach._

For a long time Urd said nothing to the creature. Simply stared at the beast-woman as though it were insane. "You're shitting me. You're saying you want me to, to _eat_ this thing?"

Nidhogg nodded.

"Right here and right now."

The Serpent nodded again.

"Fuck me."

And Nidhogg smiled.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: I love Nidhogg. _

_I actually had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Probably why it's so long. Anyways, things are slowly starting to draw to a close in the first arc of the Goetia's Valkyrie series. And things are only going to get stranger the more time progresses. Hope you enjoy..._


	25. Choices

A/N: Contains a small crossover with the _Megaten_ series. Don't own that either.

* * *

Urd awoke with a start and a gasp, sprawled out on the floor of her room. Violet eyes darted left and right, up and down, taking in her surroundings slowly. Recognition came slowly, and curled up on her side as she was, the goddess took her time. The room seemed almost alien after what felt like days with Nidhogg, but as her mind slowly returned to her physical body, so too did the memories.

And with it, the anger.

With a growl, Urd slowly moved to pick herself up, wiping her mouth with the sleeve of her blouse. Strange, she didn't normally drool in her sleep...With a grunt, the goddess moved to sit cross-legged once more, her body aching in the process. Silver brows furrowed together. She felt stiff and sore, and the goddess had been sitting in her meditation-not sleeping. Yet she'd awoken laying on her side. Why had she fallen over?

"Ah, it seems someone has returned to the world of the living." A voice rang out from her left. "Welcome back."

Violet eyes darted to the source of the voice, and Urd was uncertain if she was surprised or not to find her reflection laying on her bed, resting on her stomach with feet idly kicking the air. Silently, the goddess observed her other self, noting that something had changed about her doppelganger, though she couldn't say exactly what.

Urd grunted. So Nidhogg's mist was still affecting her. She hadn't expected the Serpent's visions to follow her back to her physical shell within the Assiah. "I wonder which one you are." She mumbled to it under her breath. The other her tipped her head to one side in curiosity. "A me I am to become or a me that will never be."

The doppelganger did not reply, and so with a sigh Urd moved to stand, only to let out a shout as her body violently protested the idea and her legs cramped violently. Cursing wildly, the goddess curled into a ball of pain, willing the pain to ease, her breath coming out in quick hisses.

"Take it easy now." The other her said. "You body's still recovering. You had a seizure, you know."

Urd stared up at her other self incredulously, opening her mouth as though to question the woman and instead releasing another profanity.

The woman on her bed shrugged. "How do I know this, you ask?" A grumble was her response, and the doppelganger smiled. "Well, here I come, sent after you and using one of the portals my dear Marller placed in your room, and here I find you meditating. Any demon worth his weight in salt knows better to disturb a tenth-dimensional being meditating, so I decided to make myself comfortable and await your return." The smile faded. "However, wherever you had ventured to must have hurt your soul somehow, for suddenly you collapsed, and before I knew it you were convulsing on the floor."

The double rolled onto her back, legs kicking the air before hoisting herself up, turning to look at Urd over one shoulder. "I tried to approach you-I have some skills in the medical field, you see-but..._something_ would not allow my interference." The woman bounced on Urd's bed, shifting to face the Norn fully once more before sticking her hands out for Urd to examine. "My attempts to aid you were not appreciated, to say the least. The most I managed to do was roll you onto your side so you wouldn't drown in your own spit. Anymore aid than that and I probably wouldn't be here talking to you right now." The woman's hands were an ugly shade of red. All across the palms and digits, blisters and burns rose in ugly mounds. Some were cracked and looked ready to bleed. Others seemed content to ooze an ugly yellow puss the smeared across the woman's palms.

Urd scrunched her nose up at the injuries in disgust, but found her stomach didn't roll as it once might have. Not after Nidhogg. Not after the heart. "And so you decided to rest on my bed with hands that ooze and bleed." She stated, stretching to look at the covers of her blankets and see if any discolored hand prints remained. From her viewpoint, Urd could see nothing.

Her doppelganger shrugged. "Considering what I went through to ensure your survival, it seemed only fitting that I leave you a gift." She teased. "But as it is, it seemed my efforts were for not."

Urd raised an eyebrow. "And why is that?"

Another shrug, followed by an uncomfortable look at the Norn. "After the convulsions stopped, I went to check on you. Whatever magic had prevented my interference last time had vanished." She fell silent there, and the discomfort grew. Urd gestured her on.

"Urd..." The woman began after a moment's hesitation. "You're heart stopped beating."

With the admission came silence, on that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

Finally, Urd spoke again, moving to a sitting position once more and cringing lightly as her legs throbbed in warning. "How long?"

"What?"

Massaging a calf, Urd looked up at the woman. "How long." She repeated. "How long did my heart stop beating?"

The woman on her bed stared. "Forty-five minutes from when I checked to when you awoke."

Urd nodded, leaning back with a sigh an allowing her head to thump against the wall. "Forty-five minutes. Not even an hour. It sure felt a lot longer." A dark hand moved to cover her eyes, and Urd massaged her temples. "Nidhogg was right. Its realm really does have no concept of time." A snort, and Urd allowed the hand on her forehead to plop into her lap.

"Nidhogg?" When Urd looked over to her mirror image she found the woman leaning forward in curiosity. "What does the Corpse Eater have to do with you?"

The Norn shook her head ruefully. "Nothing you need to concern yourself with." She replied. "Especially if you have no notion of what I'm talking about in the first place." With a groan, the silver-haired woman stretched her arms over her head. "I've been gone too long." Letting them fall to her sides once more, the goddess moved to stand, and this time there was no pain in her rise.

When she looked over at the woman again, an elusive smile lined her face. "You are no hallucination than, are you?" She asked, more a statement than a question. The woman tilted her head to one side in confusion, and Urd nodded. "Yes...I think I remember you. From before. Before Nidhogg." A finger tapped her lower lip in thought. "Gamori, right?"

The woman raised a silver eyebrow. "Well, considering I introduced myself before you'd tried to smash my face in with a rock a couple hours ago, I'd hope you wouldn't forget my name." She said, before frowning softly, something alien flickering within violet eyes. "Only...it hasn't been hours for you, has it?"

Urd shook her head. "It's been days. Weeks maybe." The woman squinted at the demon, a soft scowl on her face. "You seem...different from before." She said, observing the Goetia up and down carefully. "Something's changed about you, but I can't figure out what."

An amused smile peeked up at the corner of one lip. "Hon, nothing's changed about me. The spell I wear reflects the appearance of the person who's face I hide behind." She explained. "If anything's changed about me, it's because _you_ have changed."

Urd frowned at the comment, silver brows scrunching together in curiosity. The Norn approached the demon, examining Gamori's face carefully. For her part, Gamori didn't move, simply smiled and stared the woman in the face, allowing Urd to take her time with her scrutiny.

The woman blinked, and for a second Urd mistook the violet of Gamori's eyes for dull rubies, an illusion that was gone as quickly as it came. Yet even still, the violet eyes that should have been so familiar to her were alien. _The __pupils __are __slit. __Like __a __cat__'__s__…__or__ a __snake__'__s._ From the right angle, Gamori almost looked to have rows of needles for teeth at some points, regular, dull, human teeth at others. _So__ the __mist is_ _still __affecting __me._ Urd thought, her eyes coming to rest on Gamori's brow.

There, violet eyes froze, widening in surprise at what rested on Gamori's brow. _My __sigil..._Gently, a hand reached out, hesitantly touching the mark on the demon's forehead. _It's__ changed._ The woman traced the sigil slowly with one finger, her other hand moving to rest on her own forehead in disbelief. No longer was the marking the familiar blue she'd known for so long. Red had replaced the color, the triangle inverted into a three pointed star, one that pierced her head like a wound.

Beneath her hand Gamori chuckled. "See something you like?" She asked, looking up at Urd from beneath silver brows.

The newly-turned demon said nothing, merely removed her hand from Gamori's forehead and stepped back. The Norn rubbed her own mark self-consciously, a small part of her expecting to find it protruding from her head like some small horn. Yet the sigil was as smooth and soft as the rest of her flesh, indistinguishable from the rest of her skin.

With a sigh the demon closed her eyes, messaging her temples as the true extent of Nidhogg's actions began to sink in. _A __demon's __heart.__Strong __enough__ to__ contain__ a__ Daimakaicho's __magic. __That's __what__ Nidhogg__ told __me.__ Bestowing__ a__ Daimakaicho's __magic__ upon __me __as__ it__ sees__ fit._"A three pointed star. Not five." The woman snorted, a smirk worming its way onto her face. "Not even four. Am I really so weak?" _The__ damned__ cat__ has __more __magic__ than __me._

"You said it, not me." Gamori tilted her head to one side, one brow raised in amusement. "So based on what I've seen so far, I've come to a marvelous conclusion." Gamori said sarcastically, the smirk on her face evil. "All it takes for a goddess to become a demon is for them to randomly roll over and die during a meditation. Then let them be revived as a zombie!" The woman cackled at her own joke. "If I'd known it was so easy to get rid of gods, I'd have started offing your race a long time ago."

The Norn frowned. "You're wrong on several points there, Girly." Urd glared at the woman, who returned it with a smug smile. "First off, I'm no zombie-if I was you'd be one of my mindless minions already." The Norn paused, looking the Goetia up and down. "...Although on the second thought, you may not have had any brains to eat in the first place, so you're probably already my mindless minion already."

The smile dropped from Gamori's face.

"Secondly, I didn't just randomly die during my meditation as you seem so willing to believe." Urd's voice dropped and the Norn leaned in close to the woman, her gaze narrowing dangerously. "My heart was ripped from my body and consumed by the Render of Corpses." Something flashed behind the Norn's violet eyes. Something wild and dangerous that forced the Goetia to lean against the wall. Urd followed, climbing on top her bed and slamming her hands into the wall, imprisoning Gamori between her arms. "And I was revived by consuming the heart of the Daimakaicho's avatar." Urd leaned in close to the demon, close enough that she could feel Gamori's breath on her skin, quick and short and panicked. The Norn grinned, drinking in the Goetia's expression, her smile vicious and bestial. "Now tell me, would you like feel that experience as well?" The silver-haired woman tilted her head, moving until her lips were at Gamori's ear, her voice a whispering breath. "Because after consuming the heart of something so strong, it gives you a craving for _more_."

"_Wendigo!__" _With a shout Gamori lashed out at the Norn, a snarl torn between rage and fear twisting her face hideously. A blow to the stomach sent Urd off the bed and onto the ground with a grunt, and as her body hit the floor Urd began to laugh.

"A _Wendigo_?" The woman chuckled, "What's that, some monster that eats little demon children? Don't tell me the great and terrible Goetia is afraid of monsters under the bed." Urd watched as the Goetia shuffled over the bed, looking down at the new demon with wild eyes. The warrior looked visibly shaken by Urd's actions, her face drawn and pale, and Urd felt her amusement die.

"You know nothing, Daughter of Hild." The Goetia hissed, her eyes narrowing angrily. "You joke, but go and tell that tale to Ose, who loved his books. Tell it to Flauros who danced in fire and to Decarabia who spoke to birds. Tell it to Phenex, who loved to sing." The woman growled, crawling off the bed and towering over the Norn. "Tell that to the Valkyries inhabiting your home and see what happens. Tell that to any Goetia and see how they react. But do not tell that story to me, Daughter of the Daimakaicho. And do no tell that story to Marller." She shook her head. "Not unless you wish to face the consequences."

The Norn's eyes flashed. "Marller?" The ex-goddess frowned. "Why? How does she relate to anything?"

Yet Gamori merely shook her head once more, crouching down beside the Norn. "Nothing, as far as _you're_ concerned." Her voice had changed, growing deeper, and for a brief moment violet eyes flashed golden. "And if I find you _do _tell her," A low growl rumbled in the back of the Goetia's throat, and the woman bared her teeth in a snarl. "Then I don't care if you're the Daimakaicho's daughter or not. I'll kill you, even if it's the last thing I ever do."

With that the Goetia rose to her feet, offering Urd a hand with a scowl. "I am not sure how I feel about you, Daughter of Hild. Right now I am thinking none-too-pleasant thoughts about you." The Goetia sighed. "However, the Daimakaicho tasked me with aiding you, and aid you I shall, whether either of us like it or not."

The Norn stared at the hand, red and ugly with its blister's and sores and wounds, several of which were beginning to bleed, having been cracked open from Gamori's punch to Urd. With a frown, Urd reached her own hand out, moving it past the woman's offered hand and latching hold of the demon's wrist, allowing Gamori to hoist the Norn to her feet. Blood and pus had seeped into the Norn's sleeve when the Goetia released her.

Yet Urd did not let go of Gamori's wrist. When the demon tugged the limb and Urd still didn't release it, she glared at the Norn, only to meet violet eyes as hard stone. "I don't know what Marller is to you, but I want you to know," She began, "That Marller is one of my closest friends. And while I have nothing to prove to you or any of your Goetia buddies, I want you to know that I'd sooner hurt myself than hurt her out of any malicious intent." Her grip tightened, and a flash of pain darted across the Goetia's face, so fast that had Urd blinked she would have missed it. "Know this also, Gamori." The woman narrowed her eyes, yanking on the imposter's wrist and forcing the demon to stumble. "That story was no lie. My heart was consumed by the very creature we draw power from. I spent days, weeks with the beast and it forced me to consume the heart of a dead animal whilst the organ still pumped in my hands. I am not some mewling goddess you can terrify into submission, Gamori. I have a name, it is Urd, and you will use it. I don't go by titles nor will I be threatened by the likes of you nor anyone else, be they demon, god, or something else entirely. Do I make myself clear?"

The demon grimaced before reluctantly nodding her head.

Urd nodded as well. "Good." She released her grip on the woman's wrist. "Now lick your wounds and bind them. We've wasted enough time threatening each other." The new demon turned away, moving over to one of the shelves in her room. Bottles and jars of potions littered the ground beneath, and the demon kneeled, rummaging through the bottles and withdrawing one after a moment. The bottle in hand, the woman rose once more and turned to Gamori, who was eying her critically and nursing her wrist.

"What?"

The woman frowned. "You want me to lick my wounds." She rubbed her wrist tenderly, smearing red across her flesh. "I don't see how that will help me, especially after you _crushing __my __wrist_, Urd." Her voice dripping with sarcasm, the Goetia thrust the limb beneath Urd's nose, giving the woman a full view of the black and purple ring darkening the demon's skin in an ugly bracelet.

The Norn blinked, staring at the injury in surprise. "Huh." She grunted. "And you're a Goetia, right?" At the demon's aggravated nod the woman continued. "And...what is the license hierarchy for the Goetia branch?"

"All Goetia must at the least hold a first-class, level six restricted license." Gamori growled out.

Urd nodded, examining the bruise thoughtfully. "Huh." Her free hand moved to touch her sigil, rubbing it gently. "Guess a three-pointed star is enough power after all."

"You're not helping the situation!" Gamori snapped. "Surtr's fist, no wonder Marller is always bitching about you! Are you like this all the time?"

Urd didn't respond, pointedly ignoring the jab and instead placing the potion down on her bed. That done, the Norn reached out and gently grabbed the Goetia's hands, drawing them together and spitting onto the open wounds. A look of horror and disgust arose on Gamori's face, and again Urd ignored it in favor of placing her palms under the Goetia's knuckles and folding the hands together. "And now we rub them together and..." The woman released Gamori's hands, stepping away from the demon and gesturing her on.

Gingerly, the demon opened her hands, a grimace on her face that shifted into confusion as she stared at the wounds. "The hell?" Baffled, the demon looked from her hands to Urd, her gaze darting between the two several times. "What did you just do?" She demanded. "I have scabs. _Old_ scabs! They look like they're days old!" The woman flexed her fingers experimentally. "The wounds aren't splitting...they don't even hurt anymore!" A look of disgust crossed her face. "But they're still covered in spit..."

The woman stared at her hands, perturbed, for a long moment, before wiping them on her jeans and allowing her hands to drop to the floor.

Urd frowned, crossing her hands over her chest. "You're a demon, aren't you?" At Gamori's nod the Norn continued. "Demons were built to kill. But they were also built to survive. That," The woman pointed to the Goetia's hands. "Is one of those survival traits." Silver brows furrowed together in confusion. "How could you not know that? Didn't anyone teach you? Haven't you ever seen another demon lick their wounds?"

Gamori looked to one side uncomfortably. "Seen it? Sure, hundreds of times. Goetia fight, Goetia get injured, I bind their wounds." She made a face. "I always assumed they were licking their wounds to slow the flow of blood. I didn't-I've never seen-" The demon shook her head with a frustrated sigh. "Shit like that isn't taught to demons, Urd. Marller..." Gamori trailed off, sending Urd a sidelong glance. "Marller tried to tell me something like that once but...I never took her words to heart."

The demon ran a hand through her head, wincing reflectively and drawing in a hiss. "Nidhogg-blessed wrist..." She drew the hand in front of her, glaring at the bruised ring with a scowl before looking at Urd. Something alien flashed within the demon's eyes, and abruptly the demon approached the Norn, said hand reaching out and wrapping around the collar of the woman's shirt and drawing the woman into a kiss.

"Wha-" Urd was cut off as Gamori's lips met hers. Startled more than anything else, Urd froze, eyes focusing on a pair of matching violet, which held no lust nor love nor passion, but a cold calculation that seemed at odds in the Goetia's-in _Urd's_ eyes.

The demon stepped closer to Urd, closing the distance between them to the point where the Goetia was pressed against the Norn's body, and Gamori deepened the kiss, her tongue darting into Urd's mouth.

_That_ was crossing a red line. Urd, a self-proclaimed-now-ex-goddess of love, was used to even the most taboo of relationships. The Norn acknowledged them and accepted them for what they were at a moment's glance, and as such, a kiss from a demon woman who wore her face was nothing that spooked her.

It was, however, when said demon went about the act of deepening the kiss to the point where it seemed as though the Goetia was trying to suck the air from her lungs that Urd had to set some boundaries. And so unconsciously mimicking another demon not even a day prior, Urd did the first think that came naturally to her. She punched Gamori. In the stomach. Hard.

The punch sent the demon toppling to the ground, wheezing. "What the hell was that?" Urd demanded, wiping the back of her mouth with one sleeve and staring at the demon, uncertain if she should feel rage, disgust, or something else. "Don't you think that's a little extreme for a first kiss? We haven't even started dating yet!" The Norn spat at the Goetia's feet in emphasis, fixing Gamori with an angry glare.

The demon looked up at her unfazed. "Your spit scabbed the open wounds on my hands." She wheezed. "Wounds that, even scabbed, would open and break if I flexed my hands too much." Gamori wiped her mouth with a sleeve. "Yet now I can close my hands, and when I open them the scabs don't crack or bleed or hurt." The demon shrugged. "If your saliva is capable of doing that to open wounds, who's to say what would happen if I ingested it? Perhaps whatever healing benefits are in your saliva would help my own body," The demon held up her wrist. "And if not?" She shrugged. "What's a little spit between friends?"

"You're saying you were trying to suck my lungs out of my chest because you wanted to drink my spit? What's wrong with you? And when did we become friends?"

The demon shrugged. "It was an experiment. Nothing more, nothing less. One that presented itself to me and one that I intended to take full advantage of."

Urd scowled. "Then you could have saved your kiss for someone who wanted it." She growled. "A demon's saliva, mine _or_ yours, will only bind the wound. It won't heal it." The Norn pointed to the Goetia's wrist. "It won't do a damned thing for bruises or broken bones-only open wounds." The woman snatched the potion off the bed, tossing it to the Goetia. "Now hurry up and drink this. Unlike spit, my potion will actually help your wounds heal."

The Goetia caught the potion easily, regarding the brown bottle in a mixture of apprehension and curiosity. Unplugging the vial, the demon waved a hand over it, nose twitching as she sniffed the inner contents. "I can't smell anything toxic." She muttered.

Urd glared. "Do you honestly think I would give you a potion meant for a deity? Marll-_Mara_-uses my potions just as much as my sisters. My own heritage dictates that I only use certain ingredients on myself. Do you really think I'd go and feed you an ingredient that would kill you?" The new demon demanded, a scowl on her face.

Her reflection regarded her through slit eyes. "A Goetia can never know." She responded. "You say Marller used your potions in the past?" At Urd's nod the demon brought the potion to her lips without another thought, downing it instantly. When the potion was gone the doppelganger stared at the small vial appraisingly. "Wolfs bane. Few people know its anti-inflammatory affects on demons." The Goetia tilted her head to one side, looking at Urd in sudden interest. "Who taught you this? Surely no god."

Urd shook her head. "I'm surprised you could taste it. Wolfs bane has a near-unnoticeable taste. The fact that you can identify it, and in a potion no less, is pretty impressive." The demon nodded to the vial. "A goddess taught me. My old teacher." The demon sent her companion a sideways glance. "You certainly hold Mara in high regards, don't you?"

The demon capped the vial and tossed it lightly back to Urd. The ex-deity caught it easily. "More than you could ever know." She said, her voice holding that deeper tone that was less Urd and more Gamori. "She was captured too, you know. She took your place. I want her back."

The duo lapsed into silence for a moment, Urd fiddling with her bottle uncomfortably as she stared at Gamori. The Goetia stared back, and the woman sighed. Replacing the bottle on the shelf it had fallen from, Urd stretched her hands over her head. "Well than I suppose we shouldn't waste any more time." She stated, walking past Gamori and towards the door. "After all, I'm sure I'm not the only one who wants a piece of Vikoka's ass."

The demon slid the door open, stepping out into the hallway and sensing Gamori trailing behind her. Violet eyes drifted to the heavens, yet in the morning sky not a black feather was to be seen. Not looking a gift horse in the mouth, Urd waved Gamori onwards, and after peering either direction down the hallway with no signs of Valkyries, Gamori followed after her.

The Goetia hadn't even made it a foot out the room before there came the sound of another door sliding open. Her back turned to the noise, Urd's grimace went unseen, and unwillingly the demon turned to face the newest occupant in the hallway.

"Gamori?" The voice that called out was chillingly familiar, and as Urd laid eyes upon the third occupant of the hallway, the color drained from her face.

"Impossible…" Unsteadily, Gamori stumbled back into Urd, and unconsciously the demon steadied her companion. However two pairs of violet eyes never left the person in front of them.

"Gamori?" Herja repeated, staring at the demon in question with surprised eye. "Is 'dat jou?" She'd acquired an accent since last Urd had seen her, dead and stiffening on her bed. "What are jou doin' 'ere?" There were still bandages around her chest-wraps Urd could remember emplacing on the fallen Valkyrie with Keiichi's aid. She could see where the gauze peeked out from underneath the wrappings, messily applied by Keiichi in his panic with the edges dyed pink. Herja's blood.

The blue-haired woman took a step towards the two demons, and Gamori shoved herself against Urd so hard that the ex-deity was forced to stumble back, throwing distance between the reanimated Valkyrie and the Goetia.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Herja smiled. "Jou act like you don' know me or sometin'. It's me, Phenex!"

Gamori stared, visibly shaken by the woman's appearance. "What?"

"Phenex?" The name was familiar, and Urd's mind recalled the conversation between Gamori and herself. _Wendigo._ The woman stared at the Valkyrie through slit eyes, and for a moment the woman's form seemed to flicker, casting a ghostly apparition on top Herja's body. A raptor bathed in a dim red glow, its beak parted in a shriek whenever Herja spoke. _What __the__ hell __is __going __on?_

A loud and obnoxious caw interrupted the demon from her thoughts, and Urd had just enough time to duck as the crow dive bombed her, swooping back up with another angry caw and flying towards the edge of the collapsed rooftop. With a grimace, Urd followed it's retreating form, and violet met red as the crow landed on Badb Catha's outstretched arm.

The Valkyrie's expression was unreadable, slowly moving from one demon to the next, before finally coming to a rest on Herja. At the sight of the standing woman, the Mad Crow threw her arm into the air, and from all around the shrine arose the shrieks and screams of crows, rising into the air and turning the sky to night on black-feathered wings. From further down the hallway, there came a crash, and Urd turned her gaze to Lind and Eir, weapons drawn as they stalked towards the group, a mixture of disbelief and suspicion on the duo's faces.

A thick and heavy silence descended on the shrine, filled with tension as everyone awaited the first move. It was Eir who broke the silence, her gaze focused entirely on her once-fallen companion. "Herja? You're up and…moving." The youth visibly swallowed, ignoring Lind's warning glare and taking a cautious step towards the braided woman. "Did you…" The youth trailed off, pink eyes darting to the ground before rising once more to blue. "You…you stopped them, didn't you." The pink-haired Valkyrie pointed her weapon towards the two demons, her voice hopeful. "Urd was trying to escape, right? Or that demon was going to switch places with her." The girl pointed to Urd.

Urd said nothing, too bemused to come up with a response. Too curious as to see how the scene before her would play out. _The __girl __acts __as __though__ Herja __never __died. __And __it __seems __she__ at __least, __is __incapable __of __telling __a __Goetia __from __a __Norn. __Wonderful._

Herja turned to face the youth, and Urd felt Gamori lean harder into her side, one hand reaching out and snatching Urd's wrist in a vice-like grip. "Let's _go_." The woman silently urged, and Urd took a moment to examine the other Valkyries. All three seemed more heavily focused on Herja than the two demons, yet...

"No." Urd replied. "We wait." Her free hand wrapped around the wrist clutching her own so tightly, and slowly Urd pried herself loose from Gamori's grasp. One of Herja's hands was at the Valkyrie's back, and though the motion was slight, barely noticeable had Urd not been examining the tall woman closely, the woman waved them to a halt.

Her back turned to either demon, neither the Norn nor her doppelganger saw the smile that aligned Herja's face. "They were talking." She said, sweeping a hand out towards the two demons. "I went to see who was walking past my door. Two Urds." She pointed at the Norn. "…One who tried to kill me…" She pointed at Gamori. "One who tried to save me."

The Norn felt four pairs of eyes fall on her form, the air thick with tension. "The demon even called me by the _other_ name."

"Other name?" Urd muttered. "Phenex?"

Motion from the corner of one eye drew Urd's gaze to Badb Catha, and the sigh of a blade being drawn was all the words the woman needed to display her intent. The Mad Crow looked murderous, an enraged gaze fixated upon Urd and causing the newborn demon to take a step back.

The Valkyrie leapt from the rooftop, descending into the hallway and landing near her wing-mates. Blade drawn, she pointed the weapon at Urd. "You had your chance, Goetia." Lind's voice arose behind the woman, and the Norn watched as the younger warriors moved to flank the Valkyrie's side, their own weapons out and ready to strike. "We let you leave last time. Yet despite our courtesy and warnings, you return, this time aiding a criminal in an escape attempt. These acts are unforgivable, and for them you will pay."

"Bullshit I will." Urd retorted hotly, her voice a low and threatening growl. _They __think__ I__'__m __Gamori._ White-hot sparks leapt to life on the Norn's body, dancing and snapping angrily across her skin as though giving life to the woman's feelings. "If you think I'm going to let you stop me from leaving, you've got another thing coming."

With a snarl she turned to Gamori, only to find the demon creeping towards Herja. "Oi!" Urd snapped, and the Goetia looked over her shoulder at the Norn. "And just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Gamori returned the woman's snarl tooth for tooth. "What does it look like I'm doing?" She growled. "You never said _you _were the one responsible for Herja's injuries. I'd sooner stick with a reanimated corpse than her murderer." The woman moved behind the once-deceased woman, and Herja's smile was cruel.

_It__'__s__ a __trick. __Gamori__'__s __trying __to __take __my __place. __But __why-_Something tickled in the back of her mind, and instinctively the demon ducked. A ball of crackling scarlet energy flew past her head, where it exploded upon coming into contact with something in the living room. Urd didn't even have enough time to swear before Eir rushed her with a howl, golden eyes flashing hatefully as she sought to strike the demon with her halberd.

The demon backpeddled, narrowly escaping one thrust after another. "I'm going to kill you Gamori." The youth seethed, the hate and rage in her eyes so deep that it momentarily caught the Norn off guard. She paid for it with a tear in her sleeve that sent the demon crying out in pain. "After what you did to Herja-after what you made _me _do to Herja-I'll make sure you don't leave this shrine alive. Doublet system be damned!"

Something cold and solid pressed into Urd's back, and at the last minute Urd darted to one side, sending the halberd crashing into the kitchen counter, sending linoleum shards flying. They'd stumbled into the kitchen, and the woman dashed around the corner, grabbing the first item she came across and hurtling in towards the Valkyrie. Eir ducked, and the plate whistled as it sailed around her head. A multitude of spoons came next, with the occasional fork that seemed out of place in a Japanese kitchen, and chopsticks charged with magic that embedded themselves several inches into whatever surface they came across.

Eir did a remarkable job of dodging all of them, much to Urd's irritation, and the Valkyrie continued her approach, her swings drawing closer and closer to the demon with each step to the point where there were times Urd could hear the ax head sing as it swept by her head. "Almighty bless it." The demon hissed. "I'm not about to be killed after dying once already!"

Her comment must have caught the warrior off-guard, for the Valkyrie hesitated in her strike, and seeing an opening Urd lashed out. Her magic came swiftly and eagerly, and before Urd could gain a proper grasp of the power Eir was sailing away from her, the youth's body crashing through first a pantry, then the wall behind it and sailing outside.

"Holy…" Trembling, Urd stumbled towards the newest hole in the house, grasping the splintering edge of the wood and peering through the hole. Light trickled into the pantry, and on the floor cans rolled restlessly. Beyond that Urd caught sight or Eir, lying a good distance away from the hole on her stomach. Wood shards created a perimeter around the pink-haired Valkyrie, and smoke wafted upwards from her body. The girl wasn't moving, and Urd hoped sincerely she hadn't just killed the youth.

"Girl, you _better _not be dead." The demon muttered under her breath, moving to step through the hole after the young warrior. "Lind and the Crow will kill me if you're dead." Shoot, screw the Valkyries, _Belldandy _would kill her if she found out her older sister had killed a Valkyrie.

"Eir!" Someone shouted behind her, and the demon felt something cold and heavy wrap around her arm. Looking to the source, Urd found a chain bathed in blue magic around her forearm. The Norn had only a chance to blink at it in confusion before there was a strong tug, and suddenly Urd was pulled to the ground and dragged away from the hole.

The turned-demon cursed violently, her arm feeling very much like someone was trying to rip it from its socket as she was pulled back down the hallway and through the debris that had once been a roof. A quick look revealed an irate Lind to be the source of the chain, with the Mad Crow stalking towards the demon even as Urd was dragged towards the Valkyries.

"Damn you both!" Urd howled, wrapping her free hand around the chain and throwing a burst of magic into the binding. The chain exploded where the demon grasped it, and none too soon either. Perhaps sensing the demon's intent, Badb Catha's pace increased, the Valkyrie bringing her sword down upon the demon just as the chain exploded in Urd's hand. Shrapnel assaulted anyone within range, and rather than bury her blade into Urd's head as the Crow had planned, the blow instead went wild, landing next to the woman's head and cutting several already small locks of hair shorter still.

The demon rolled to her feet, not even bothering to rise before launching herself at the Catha, Urd's shoulder colliding with the Valkyrie's legs and sending them both tumbling to the ground. The Mad Crow lost her grip on her weapon, and Urd's momentum sent the two opponents tumbling into a wall. The duo thrashed on the ground, fighting for a dominance that was lost as quickly as it was obtained.

And then Badb Catha had the advantage, tossing Urd over her body as the demon sought to pin the warrior to the ground. Urd grunted as her body collided with the wood, only to roll back to her feet once more before the Valkyrie could act. "I was never much of a brawler." The demon hissed. "That was always more Mara's specialty than mine. But I remembered something when I was with Nidhogg all those days." The demon ducked under the Valkyrie's guard, coming up and through the Catha's arms. Faster than anyone could follow the demon grabbed the woman's elbows, thrusting them into the wall hard enough to make the wood splinter. The demon moved close to the Valkyrie, meeting the woman eye-to-eye. "It doesn't matter how bad a demon fights, so long as it rips out the throat."

Scarlet eyes widened in alarm, and Urd drank up the fear in the woman's gaze. "We've seen you're neck, Carrion Crow, and we all know the scar on your throat is where the flesh is weakest." The demon's voice softened, her words for Badb Catha alone. "All it will take is a little nip, and I'll have your life's blood seeping into the floorboards."

Badb Catha's eyes bulged, and a strength born of fear caused the Valkyrie to break the Norn's grip on her arms. Something flickered brightly from the Catha's sleeve, and instinctively Urd reacted, throwing them both to the ground and falling on top the Valkyrie. The demon felt something prick her chest, and Urd ignored it, focusing instead on the taste of skin beneath her mouth, the pulse beneath wild and erratic.

"That's enough from the both of you." The voice was soft and commanding, and it took Urd several moments to recognize it. One violet eye cracked open, staring up at a pair of crossed arms framed by brown hair. "I have grown tired of this tomfoolery. Get up. Both of you." In all the years she'd known her sister, Urd could not once recall a time Belldandy had spoken with such a tone.

For a long time neither woman moved, Urd unable to see her sibling's expression without releasing her grip on Badb Catha's throat. And until the Crow removed her knife from Urd's chest, the demon wasn't moving another inch. Unfortunately Urd could no more communicate her reasoning to Belldandy than could the Mad Crow speak. And so the two remained firmly locked where they were, daring the other to act first.

Urd heard Belldandy sigh in irritation, than saw the woman crouch, allowing the demon to meet the younger Norn's eyes. "There has been enough violence in my household. Enough death, enough destruction." The woman looked as exhausted as she sounded. Her hair was messy and unkempt, and pink and red splotches dotted the sweats she was adorned in, mixing with the dirt-stained knees and creating a look that heavily contradicted the Belldandy Urd knew. "I am sick and tired of it. There will be no more. Not in my household, which I have opened to Valkyrie and demon regardless of intentions. This is a sanctuary, not a battlefield, and I will have no one," her eyes flickered between the both of them angrily. "_No __one_ desecrate it with further violence." A hand moved to rest on Urd's shoulder, and from the corner of one eye she watched its sibling move to Badb Catha's shoulder as well. "Now you two will release each other _now_, or I will remove you both forcefully."

"Belldandy-"

"Lind, with all due respect, please hold your tongue."

_Well __that__'__s __new. __When__'__s __the __last__ time __you __heard __Bell__ interrupt __someone?_The grip on Urd's shoulder felt weak, and a part of the demon doubted the goddess had the strength to do as she proclaimed. She seemed to be having a difficult enough time kneeling straight, if the weight on Urd's shoulder was any indication. _You __could __end __this __now._ A small voice tempted in the back of her mind. _Belldandy __has __the __Valkyrie __distracted. __Take __advantage __of __it.__ End __it __now__ before __it __comes __back __to __haunt __you __later._

For a brief moment Urd considered the voice…only to realize what she was contemplating in cold horror. Suddenly more fearful of her own thoughts than the blade at her breast, Urd practically shoved herself off Badb Catha, landing on her rump and panting anxiously. Her chest stung sharply, and Urd looked down, finding a red hole in her shirt that was steadily blossoming as the cloth absorbed her blood. Grimacing, the demon pulled the collar of her shirt down, gaining a better view of the wound as it was exposed to the light.

The cut was small and shallow-little more than a nick, really. Yet that did not change the fact that the wound hurt nor that it bled, and with a scowl Urd licked her hand and placed it over the puncture, casting a wary and suspicious look towards Lind and Badb Catha as she did so.

The Mad Crow slowly picked herself up, a sneer on her face as she rubbed her throat. The Valkyrie didn't come away unscathed either. A small trickle of blood flowed down her neck and into her uniform, forming a bright scarlet streak against the white. The warrior glared at Urd, and for her part the Norn ignored it, too caught up in the realization of what she'd almost done to notice. _It__'__s __like __with __what __happened__ with__ Pisaca. __I __lost __myself __to __bloodlust. __What __would __I __have __done __if __Belldandy__ hadn__'__t __stopped __me? __Would __I__ have __actually __killed __Badb __Catha?_

Her thoughts filled the Norn with unease, and the demon watched in silence as Gamori approached behind Belldandy, helping the sickly goddess to her feet. The Norn looked at the doppelganger but otherwise said nothing, instead focusing her gaze on Urd once more. "There has been enough violence in this place." She repeated. "And so I beg you demon; leave this place. Return to Niflheim with the other demons. Speak with the Daimakaicho if that is your will." The woman frowned, and eyes as light as the sky hardened like sapphires. "But do not return to this place, demon. Not unless it is with the family I have lost at your side."

"Bell-"Lind tried again, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder. The Norn silenced her with a glare. "_You_ will let her leave. Or Almighty help me, I will throw you out myself, magic or not." The Valkyrie jerked her hand off Belldandy's shoulder as though bitten, and the goddess returned her attention to Urd. "And you will take this opportunity to leave in peace. Now get out of my house.

For a small eternity Urd did nothing but stare at her sister, her expression blank and thoughts jumbled and confused. _Does __she __know?__ Can__ she __tell? __Does __she __know__ what __she__'__s __telling __me?_The demon examined the Norn's face carefully, searching for any signs of recognition, a flicker of familiarity, of warmth, of _something_ to let her know.

Nothing.

_My__ sister__ doesn__'__t __know __me._

The realization hurt worse than anything else Urd had ever experienced before-more so even than her own death at the hands of Nidhogg. _Tougher __heart __my __ass. __If __this __heart __is __supposed __to__ be __so __worn __and __torn, __why __does __this __hurt __so __much? _Gritting her teeth, the demon moved to her feet, the hand clutching her wound curling into a tight, angry fist. Her gaze traveled to the people around her, from the Valkyries that eyed her with hate to Gamori and Herja-Phenex?-filled with deceit. Not one regarded her with a friendly eye, and the demon took one, two steps back. Her gaze returned to Belldandy, who still beheld her with a calm and cool gaze, and on the third step back the demon turn and bolted.

* * *

Belldandy watched it all before deflating with a sigh. With the demon gone and out of sight, the Norn looked down at Badb Catha, who regarded the deity with a deep frown. "Perhaps now I might get some rest." The goddess felt drained in more ways than one. "However at the moment if feels sleep will be a long time coming. She glanced to the woman at her side, who had yet to release her arm. "I think I'd like some company, if it's alright with you Lady Catha. I hope you won't mind too horribly if I have Urd to join me in my room. Much has happened and there is a great deal I wish to discuss with her before she departs with you." Her gaze slid next to Herja, who stared at the goddess in open curiosity. "Herja too, if you don't mind." The goddess smiled wanly. "I've yet to thank you for helping Skuld the night prior, and it fills my heart with ease to see you up and about. Many of us believed some ill fortune had befallen you.

Lind looked to Badb Catha, who returned the gaze with another frown. The Crow shook her head and Lind returned her gaze to Belldandy. "Belldandy, I'm sorry but Badb Catha doesn't-"

Belldandy smiled at the Valkyrie, an honest, open smile that seemed at home on the goddess' face. "Lind, please forgive me, but I'm not asking your leader for permission. I'm _telling_ her." She patted the woman's shoulder gently. "Now if you'll excuse me…" She separated herself from Urd, and with a polite nod to the two Valkyries, departed for her room.

Urd and Herja shared a glance before looking to the Valkyries. For a moment no one moved, than the silver-haired woman shrugged. "Well, I'm not going to disobey a goddess first-class, little sister or not. Are you?" Her question directed to no one in particular, the Norn strolled after her sister before disappearing into Belldandy's room, leaving nothing but a trio of Valkyries in her wake.

Herja regarded the two in silence, raising an eyebrow in question and Lind sighed. Rubbing her temples and feeling the start of a headache coming on, the Valkyrie shook her head. "Go on. We'll have _plenty _to talk about once we leave for Asgard." Under her breath she muttered, "Besides, we still have Eir to deal with as well, hot-headed idiot that she is." The braided woman flashed her a dazzling smile before loping after the cur-born Norn, and Lind turned her attention to her leader.

The stoic Valkyrie offered the woman a hand, which the Mad Crow accepted gratefully. "Badb Catha, have you ever felt like a cat locked away in the canary's cage?" The woman hoisted her companion to her feet with a grunt, and the Crow sent Lind a look. "…I see. Most days you're alive. Is that so?"

The Valkyrie nodded in confirmation, and Lind sighed again. "There is more to what is going on here than meets the eye, isn't there." Another nod, followed by the tilt of the head. This time Lind nodded. "Yes, I did notice it. Perhaps Urd's new sigil is one of the things Belldandy wishes to speak to her about." The demon grimaced. "It will be hard to prosecute a demon of a demon's magic. But I'm growing more concerned about Herja at the moment." A voiceless sigh from the Crow. "Yes…yes she was. Herja was as cold as dead as the corpses outside this shrine. We know that. Eir knew that. Yet Eir also knew that Herja was alive, which we didn't know."

The Valkyrie shook her head, her irritation evident on her face. "I want to know just what it is that came back in Herja's body. And what it means for us as well."

* * *

Urd ran.

She ran harder than she ever had in her life, ran until her lungs were aflame and her legs turned to jelly and the twigs and rocks underfoot slashed her feet open and her heart felt close to bursting, and ran further still. Where she was going the demon couldn't say, but as long as it wasn't the shrine, it didn't matter. Some small part of her reasoned that perhaps she was searching for Gamori's demons. A larger part of her reasoned that after the stunt Gamori pulled back in the shrine, perhaps the Goetia were hunting _her_ down. Or Valkyries. Couldn't forget _those_ lovely folk.

Something stirred restlessly in her mind, yet Urd was too preoccupied with her thoughts to acknowledge what it might be. _You __need __to __stop._ The little piece warned her, the thought unfamiliar and male, leading Urd to wonder if it was her own voice that spoke or a thought implanted by someone-some_thing_-else. Mentally telling the voice where it could go and shove it, the Norn continued on, and the voice returned persistently. _I__'__m__ telling__ you, __you __need__ to__ stop. __You__'__re __going__ to __hurt __yourself __this __way._

If the bronze woman wasn't panting for breath so harshly, she would have scowled. Instead she forced herself to run harder, doing the exact opposite of what the voice wanted. Within her mind the woman heard the voice sigh in aggravation, and Urd drew a mental tally on the whiteboard in her mind. _Urd:__1. __Mysterious __voice:__0._

_Apsu __curse __you__ Urd,__I __said __STOP!_ Someone popped out in front of the demon, and Urd screamed as he passed through her. The silver-haired demon felt a chill race down her spine as whatever-whoever-passed through her body, and the demon tripped, sending her on a rather painful reunion with the ground. The Norn crashed and tumbled through the underbrush in shouts and grunts before enough bushes slowed the woman to a stop.

Her body finally at a rest, all the burns and pains she'd forced herself to ignore in favor of running returned in full swing, and a low moan escaped the demon's throat. She rolled onto one side, curling into a tight ball of moaning, cursing misery, and looked around, searching for whoever it was who'd scared her so badly. Yet there was no one, and after a moment of straining senses both physical and magical and coming back with nothing, the demon sighed. There was no one around. She was alone.

_The __voice__ is__ gone __too._ That thought she at least recognized as her own, yet she found little comfort in it. Perhaps because she was curled up in a piteous ball of pain. "I'll-I'll just rest hear for a while." Urd's voice was rough and grating to her ears-what little of it she could hear above the pounding of her heart, and the demon winced. "Okay, so maybe that voice was right." She acknowledged. "That was pretty stupid of me." Closing her eyes, Urd took a deep breath…only to break out into a fit of harsh coughs. _Correction.__ Very __stupid. __I __feel __like __I__'__m__ about __to __hack__ a__ lung__ up. __Note __to __self-run__ more, __watch__ TV __less._

Something flickered in the back of her mind-a magical presence she didn't recognize. Whatever it was touched her back, and Urd flinched as a blanket of cool settled on her form, easing the fire in her body and filling her vision with a gentle green. When the color faded, so too did the pain, and Urd dared a look over her shoulder to the person who'd so kindly decided to give what had to have been a hefty chunk of his life energy to her.

The demon blinked, meeting a pair of red and blue eyes that watched her from a long face. The owner of the eyes smiled, revealing shiny white teeth, before rolling to his feet from where he crouched with all the ease of a cat. "A strange place to take a nap, if I do say so myself, Ma'am." He said with a curt nod.

Urd regarded the stranger with a raised silver brow. "A strange place to have a meeting, if you ask me." She retorted. The man certainly looked dressed for a meeting, his garb consisting of a navy-blue blazer and matching black slacks, a vibrant yellow tie and black shoes polished to a shine regardless of the dirt and debris he was standing in. Blond hair was swept behind his head and held in place with gel-or something else-the golden locks long enough to just miss touching the blazer's shoulders. The man looked more at home behind a desk looking through stocks than in the middle of a forest.

The stranger chuckled good-naturedly, offering Urd a hand. "My dear, it all depends on what the meeting consists of." The hand's nails were painted black, a sharp contrast against his already unnaturally white skin. After a moment of examining the hand, Urd took it, and with a strength that belied his slim figure, the man hoisted the demon to her feet. "Allow me to introduce myself." Releasing Urd's hand, the man swept an arm across his chest, stooping into a deep bow. "I am a man of many names, however you may call me Louis Cy-"

"Lucifer."

The man paused in his introduction, regarding the demon with his red eye-_the__ devil__'__s __eye-_World of Elegance hissed. Urd had never heard World of Elegance hiss before.

A blond eyebrow rose in curiosity. "Ah, so you know of me?" He tone was surprised, yet Urd could see no such emotion in the creature's eyes. Just a certain…intensity that left her shivering with something Urd couldn't identify as either fear or excitement. _Hild__ has__ eyes __like __that.__ Powerful __eyes.__ Scary __eyes._

"Do _I _know of you? Only by reputation. Does World of Elegance _know_ you?" The demon narrowed her eyes. "You tell me."

Another chuckle parted the man's throat, and Cyphre shoved his hand into his pockets. "I see." He purred. "I'd not expected her to speak of me to you. Such a strong bond between an angel and her mistress. It's rare to find such bonds in deities and their lesser souls these days. I find so many angels tempted to fall more and more as the times change. There isn't any sport in it anymore. What a pleasant surprise to find one already half-tainted fighting so hard to stay pure."

Urd held her peace. She wasn't about to get into a debate about purity and corruption with the Morning Star. "What do you want from me?" She instead asked. "Someone like you doesn't appear simply to heal a person and strike up a conversation."

Cyphre tilted his head to one side, observing the demon with calm, dual-colored eyes. "How unfortunate the truth is. Once upon a time, I could walk amongst man and be questioned none the wiser. Now I step foot on the Assiah and no one can help but grow suspicious of my intentions."

"It wouldn't be like that if it wasn't true."

The devil shrugged, looking at Urd from the corner of one blue eye-_the__ angel's __eye._"You are searching for the Goetia on this plain, correct?

Violet eyes narrowed in suspicion. "What business is it of yours?"

"Now now, no need for such hostility. I am merely here on the request from an associate. You still hold your angel, do you not?" Now waiting for the Norn to respond, the devil continued. "Your Goetia still remain in this forest-in fact, they have been watching you since you parted from your sister." When Urd opened her mouth to protest, the devil raised a hand, gesturing her for silence. "However, they dare not approach you. Not with an angel still affixed to your person. There is a fine line between a Slayer and a Goetia, my dear, yet none can deny their relationship to one another. Truly, the one thing that sets a Goetia apart from a Slayer is its control, and even that may be short if in the presence of an angel for too long a time. These demons will not approach you until World of Elegance is no longer with you."

The blond raised a hand, counting off on his fingers. "This leaves you with several options, child. The first is that you ignore these Goetia, and continue on with your quest without them. However this will lead to further complications down the road, for no demon can truly support an angel, regardless of how tainted that angel is, and eventually you will be forced to release her. The second is that you return her to her egg and store it until you reach a point where you might safely release World of Elegance once more. I know not your feelings on this, but with my...knowledge of your angel, I might hope this to be an option of a last resort."

The man pointed to another finger. "Now the third option is that you and I form a contract. I will take you to your Goetia in exchange for World of Elegance. You will release her into my care and cease any connections with her. This will sever the link between the two of you, and your angel will be free to do as she wishes...under my guidance, of course. And I can promise you no harm shall befall your lesser soul." The man spread his arms. "The choice is yours."

Urd held her silence for a moment, regarding the devil in no small amount of trepidation. "Hild put you up to this, didn't she?"

And Cyphre laughed. A horrible sound that echoed with the dual tones of an angel and a devil. "Child, the Daimakaicho has nothing to do with _this_ little bargain. If she did, she'd be here herself. I come on the request of a serpent."The man waved a hand. "Now please, speak of it amongst yourselves. I am in no terrible rush." The man turned and wandered off, disappearing behind several trees and bushes and giving Urd the illusion of privacy. Yet the woman could still sense him if she tried, an unholy amount of pressure that bore down on her mind almost painfully.

Biting her lip, the demon took a deep breath, releasing it in a sigh. "World of Elegance, we need to talk."

There came a blast of heat from her back, different from the normal warmth that accompanied the angel's departure, and Urd turned to look up at her.

"You heard the devil." She said. "What do you want to do?"

_There comes a time during our life when the choices we make, for better or worse, affect more than just ourselves. Choices to release something for the greater good, choices that lead us to hurt the ones we love, when the reason behind the motive it to help that person. Choices that lead us to do good. Choices that lead us to do evil._

* * *

Belldandy settled herself on her futon, gently folding her hands and placing them in her lap. That done, the goddess centered her gaze on first Urd, then Herja. Both returned her gaze with open curiosity. "Please, come and sit." She rasped. "I still tire quickly, you see, and I don't wish to strain my neck looking up at the both of you." She spread her arms to the futon and a chair tucked away in one corner of the room, and after sharing a look, Urd moved to sit at Belldandy's side while Herja grabbed the chair, dragging it over in front of the futon.

The Norn smiled appreciatively. "Very good, thank you." For a moment the trio sat in silence, one that slowly grew awkward the longer the quiet stretched.

Finally, Belldandy broke the silence. "Now, I believe it's time the both of you told me what's going on."

A pair of blue and violet eyes regarded the goddess in curiosity, and something that almost passed for a smirk flashed across the brunette's face. "Now stop. Don't play me for a fool. I was awakened for a very specific purpose, and I would greatly appreciate it if someone would tell me why it is that I chose to listen to the advice of a phantom and banish my own sister from my home."

"What?" Urd stared at her. "Belldandy, what are you talking about? I'm right here! What you banished was-"

"A demon. One that was once a goddess and is still my sister. Just as _you_, my dear, have never been a goddess and choose to hide your face behind my sibling's image." The Norn's eyes flashed. "Do not think I know my sister so little as to be incapable of telling the false from truth."

The silver-haired woman stared at Belldandy for a good long while before a grin crept across the woman's face. Urd laughed. "Well I'll be blessed. Guess that rumor about first-class deities being incapable of lying was false. What a shame."

The goddess raised an eyebrow. "Urd, I assure you, that 'rumor' you heard is quite accurate. As a first-class goddess, I am incapable of lying."

"But even now you just-"

The goddess held a hand up in silence. "Yes, I know. I called you 'Urd', for 'Urd' is the only name I know you by. 'Demon' is another, for you have not given me your true name. _Nor_ do I want it, for if you do give it to me, I'll have no other choice than but to refer to you by it." The woman fixed the demon with a pointed look. "Tell me no truths and I'll speak no lies. Introduce yourself to me as 'Urd', and I shall have no other choice but to refer to you as 'Urd', though I know you not as my sister."

Herja cackled from her place on the chair, rocking it onto its back legs. "Lookie 'dere! Da goddess found a loophole, ja?" The woman fell into a fit of laughter once more, at beside Belldandy, Urd flinched.

Belldandy fixated her gaze on the Valkyrie. "And you will be good to hold your tongue as well, Firebird." She said with a soft frown. "And while I have no wish to know _your_ name either, I would appreciate it if you told me what became of the original occupant of the body you are inhabiting."

"That's something I'd like to know, too." Urd muttered. "The damned _Wendigo _calls herself by a dead Goetia's name." She snorted. "The hell is that all about?"

Herja merely smiled, rocking back and forth on her chair, an easy air about her that Belldandy didn't recognize from the woman of twenty-four hours ago. "Dose Valkyries-jou called 'em _Wendigo_? De Berserker Units, wit de gol' eyes. De kill us for de eyes. But de don' know we take over when dey die." The woman ceased her rocking, lounging against the chair with one arm thrown over the chair's back. "Like de Eir-sistah-only livin' 'cause of de demon in 'er." She pointed at Urd. "Dat's why jou could manipulate 'er, ja?"

Urd gave the Valkyrie a queer look. "The reason I could manipulate that little Valkyrie was because it was Bune, who always associated himself with the dead before he was killed. And if it wasn't for Naberius and Ma-" Abruptly she cut herself off, jaw snapping shut with an audible 'click'. The demon shook her head before starting again. "So when you said…" Herja nodded, and Urd laughed shakily. "Oh Lordy, I know I wanted to get a taste of what Marller's job was like, but somehow I don't think even she'd be prepared for something like this."

_Cruel __or__ kind, __regardless __of __the __choice, __we __choose __it __for __we__ believe __that __in__ the __end, __the __choice __is __for __the__ greater __good, __be __it __of __a__ selfish __matter__ or __a__ selfless __matter. For no man is evil in his own eyes._

* * *

The cell was cold. And old too. If not for the multitude of seals that lined the cell, Skuld could have gotten out with nothing but a spoon. Stone walls and steel bars, with gravel and boulders from the Almighty knew what lining one corner. The youth found it both a blessing and a curse. If not for the seals, the age alone would have ensured the young deity's escape. However with the seals in place, Skuld found she had little 'sides the objects in her pockets to work with, and the demons had ensured that those pockets were bare of even a hint of lint before throwing her in the cell.

She'd heard an explosion shortly after they'd thrown her in the cell, and some small dark part of the teen prayed there were several demons on the other end of that bomb that'd been blown into their next incarnation. It'd teach the dummies to respect her weapons-not all of them were the more subdued Skuld Bombs, after all.

Brown eyes traveled to the other occupant in the room, who had yet to move from where the demons had thrown him. Some part of her was afraid to approach Keiichi, especially after the amount of blood she'd seen on his back. The demons had done nothing for him-merely thrown him in the cell and left-and Skuld had only been able to move the man onto his side before she'd realized the mortal was injured.

He'd moaned and groaned at her touch at first. But now Keiichi didn't make a sound; merely lay on his side, shivering and panting, even when the youth tried to talk to him. _He__'__s __dying._ A voice whispered in her mind, and grimly the youth nodded. "What am I going to do?" She whined, bringing her legs up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "I don't want Keiichi to die, but..."

The sound of footsteps caused the girl to cast her thoughts aside, and the youth leapt to her feet, rushing to the bars to see who was approaching. The bars snapped and hissed with electricity at her approach, yet Skuld ignored it. So long as there was no attempt to cast magic, the wards were about as harmful as static. The girl had a bigger chance of her hair rising on end than actually being shocked.

The strangers had turned a corner now, and from where Skuld stood she could see three people approaching her cell, two stern faced demons she recognized from before, and someone else in between them, blond head bowed as the person stumbled along between his two guides. The duo on either side of the stranger were talking to each other in that harsh, guttural language again, and Skuld bit her lip, wondering what it was they were talking about. _Nothing __good,__I__'__ll __bet._

The trio paused a short distance away from the cell, and one of them snarled something at Skuld, giving her a full few of the demon's teeth, yellow with age and chipped and jagged. The girl scrunched her nose up in disgust and stuck her tongue out at him. On the Assiah, both Yggdrasil and Nidhogg their tenth-dimensional denizens translate either side's native language into one the natives on the Assiah could understand. In regards to Keiichi, it had been Japanese, but now that they'd left the third-dimension for…wherever they were, Yggdrasil had been cut off, and Skuld was at a loss at whatever was being said.

The demon growled something to the goddess, and a foot lashed out, crashing into the bars near her face and causing Skuld to jump back with a yelp. The demon gestured her farther back, and Skuld hesitated, her rebellious streak latching hold of her and keeping her feet glued to the ground.

Another guttural snarl from the demon before her, and his buddy sank a fist into the unfortunate prisoner's stomach. The blond wheezed, doubling over in pain and almost dragging the demon down with him. The demon in front of Skuld pointed to the new prisoner, than to Skuld before gesturing her back once more. _Get __back __or __end__ up __like __him._

Skuld moved back.

When she was far enough away, the demon took a step back, drawing a sigil in the air that flashed a brilliant blue once before the seals deactivated. Skuld allowed herself a breath of relief, feeling a pressure that had been building uncomfortably in her mind vanishing with the deactivated wards. The demon produced a key from his pocket and approached the cell door, unlocking the gate as his partner half-lead, half-dragged Skuld's newest cellmate inside. He deposited the stranger far enough that the stranger's body wouldn't block the gate, then left, Chip-tooth closing the gate after him and reigniting the wards once more.

As soon as the demons rounded the corner, Skuld approached the prisoner, curiosity warring with trepidation and winning. "Hey…hey, are you okay?"

The stranger jumped at her voice, and the blond craned his neck to look at the girl. Red met brown, and Skuld's jaw dropped. "Mara?"

And with a strength the belied the initial weakness displayed in front of the demons, Mara leapt to her feet and pounced on the girl, knocking the young goddess down and muffling the girl's scream behind fingerless black gloves. "Quiet." The demon's accent was as guttural and savage as those of her captors. "Why _you_ here?" The words came out a growl, and Mara's eyes flashed a brilliant crimson in the darkness. The woman's nails dug painfully into her cheek, and Skuld found herself fighting for breath as the demon rested her weight on the youth's chest. "Not be here!" The demon snarled. "Ruin plans!"

Her vision graying, a whimper escaped Skuld's throat, and she felt her eyes water in fear and despair.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: End of Part 1, The Assiah Branch._

_When faced with the harshest of choices, how might you sway, dear reader?_


	26. Gehenna Arch

Gehenna Arch

* * *

_The land was engulfed in mist, and though she tried, she could make nothing out in front of her. So thick was the haze that she barely saw her own nose in front of her face, the hair on her shoulders, or even the clothes on her body. The woman knew not where she was or where she was going; only that something was pulling her forward and she had no choice but to follow it._

_Her feet were bare and the fog she traversed through muffled her footsteps. It felt as though her feet splashed through a never-ending puddle, yet she could not hear the splash that should have accompanied it. Whatever it was, the liquid felt thin and warm and pleasant beneath her feet, and though she walked for what felt like miles, the liquid eased the pain that surely would have risen to the point of non-existence._

_She did not know how long she walked. There was no scenery, no sense of time to judge if she'd walked only a couple feet or halfway around the world. The realm seemed to be in a constant state of stillness, with only the mist for company and the tug in her breast for direction._

_A decade passed within a minute, and slowly, the mist began to part. Gradual at first, it was long before she realized the swirls in the mist were shapes, that shades began to rise and mix with the endless grey, and with it shapes and figures sprouted like saplings. She called to them, unable to tell what they're blurry figures were, only to find her own voice muffled, as though speaking through cloth. Yet when she witnessed one of the shades move, saw its form grow into one more recognizable, she called again, and watched in relief as the shade paused in its doings._

_She ran towards it, and now she could hear the splash of her feet as she raced through the puddles, and the faster she raced, the clearer the silhouette became; a person, a man, his frame long and thin. He must have seen her as well, for he gave a great shout before racing towards her. His voice was familiar, the words he shouted not. They were of a strange tongue, one alien to her, and briefly she wondered at the wisdom behind her actions._

_Yet it was too late for second thoughts as the mist cleared and suddenly he appeared, a hand, dark with tan, wrapping around her arm tightly. "What are you doing here?" He hissed, eyes a shade of blue so bright and brilliant he seemed blind. "You shouldn't be here. You shouldn't even be able to get here!" He was angry, and his grip on her arm tightened painfully. "You need to leave. Now."_

_The mist around them was evaporating, burning up with the rising of a sun she only just noticed. And with it, the world around them revealed itself to her, and she gasped. _

_Whatever shined above her head was no sun._

_She didn't know what it was, but it was the likes of which she'd never seen before. Red and bright, it pulsed in its prison, lined in a spider web casing of thin, black veins. The light it produced was great and terrible, and she found could only look at it for so long before she was forced to look away. It left an imprint behind her eyelids, throbbing and pulsing to the beat of some creature's great heart._

_Yet where next she looked proved only to be worse, the landscape that greeted her light-speckled eyes showing red and white and black._

_A corpse._

_She was standing on a corpse._

_Its blood was the liquid that warmed her feet, still hot with the life it once held and now staining her feet, her legs, her pants. Open, red muscle surfaced and dived beneath the red puddles in hills, their slopes so clean that she could make out the individual muscle fibers, each aligned neatly beside its brethren. Ribs, white and clean, protruded like an archway, and little finger bones created stairs that lead beneath the silver arches, rising to a stone gate, closed and barred and guarded by unfamiliar, monstrous statues._

_To her left she made out mountains made of breasts, sharply cut and jagged and white, covered in a dark flesh that spoke of a different origin. Nerves erupted from the muscles as yellow bushes and pale trees, and they shuddered in the mist, the fog, the _breath_ of the creature._

_Up in the sky, what could have passed for a galaxy of stars was in fact a tail, its black flesh curled tightly and speckled with silver, and within it was the moon, a liver hidden and disguised as a red crescent against the sky, holding its place far east of the red heart-sun imprisoned above her. A lung, sliced in half and sewn together, produced the sky, the air sacks, the alveoli, producing clusters of white clouds, mixing with acid and swirling with the mist she breathed._

_Off in the distance, along the rolling hills of muscle and mountains borne of sliced-breast, she spied a pair of eyes buried in the earth, and from them two rivers sprang weeping. Above and below, a spinal cord created a tower in the form of a rope, connecting the heavens to the earth. A stomach, two kidneys, produced lakes and oceans, with veins of blue trailing along the muscle as rivers._

_And that was only what she could see. Beyond the mountains and the towers and the oceans the mist, the breath returned, obscuring whatever remained to be seen. She wasn't certain if she was grateful or not of it, and her knees wobbled weakly before giving out beneath her weight. She wanted to scream, wanted to cry, yet she found her face dry of tears, mute of breath. She wanted to retch, but her stomach was empty, and so she collapsed, her body shuddering with dry heaves as her clothes absorbed the blood at her feet. The color blossomed upwards, pink at first, before darkening into a bloody rose and further still into an ugly black._

"_Stand up." The world beneath her feet rumbled angrily, and a pair of hands moved to her shoulders, gripping them hard and lifting her up, and numbly she felt herself pulled to her feet. "What's wrong with you? You can't grow sick in this realm. Now stand on your own two legs."_

_Dizziness swept through her, and grimly she shook her head, grasping desperately for the hands supporting her. She heard him grunt in irritation, and the grip shifted, a hand moving off her shoulders to instead scoop her up in one swift motion. He cradled her against his chest as though she was a young girl, and together they walked towards the bone steps. Beneath his feet the ground rumbled again, the muscle stretching and shifting the landscape nauseatingly._

_Climbing the bones, he deposited her on the highest step, leaning her against the closed stone doors. The pressed coolly into her back, their cold penetrating her shirt and chilling her skin. He sat down next to her, and she leaned into him, grasping his arm for support and closing her eyes, taking deep breaths as she tried to calm herself. He did nothing, said not a word to her, and for the longest time the only sound she heard was the pounding of her heart and her rasping breath._

"_Wha-" Her voice was a pitiful mew, and she shut her mouth, swallowing several times before trying again. "What is this place?" She opened her eyes, keeping her gaze directed at him._

_Her voice still trembled, yet the man chose not to comment, instead smiling wanly at her. "You mean you can't tell?" He asked softly, and when she shook her head his smile grew sad. "This is Tehom. My mother."_

_She stared at him in shock. "Your mother?"_

_He nodded. "The Heavens and the Earth." He explained. "This is Tehom-the true Tehom, its flesh and blood and spirit, made whole by the will of a god from the body of another."_

_She looked at him in horror. "How?" She whispered, the sound meek and soft. "The Heavens and Earth…they are alive yes, but not like this. Not from the body of another. This is…this is wrong. Nothing like this should exist."_

_He nodded absently. "Nothing like this _should_ exist. But it does. And you exist because of it." Gently, he eased the vice-lock grip she held around his arm, rising smoothly and walking down the bone steps, a hand reaching out to graze the monstrous statues that lined the protruding ribs. _

_Beneath their feet the earth shuddered once more, and to her ears, it sounded almost like a groan arose from the realm. When the tremor faded, she stood trembling, her body shaking. "Then tell me how!" She demanded. "Why does something that should not be exist? Who would do such a thing?"_

_He paused in front of one statue, a hand moving up to gently rub its face. His blue gaze turned to her, and his smile was sad. "A deity would. And that deity would do it by destroying the old." He laughed humorlessly. "The old is constantly at war with the new. You should know that by now. The new will always destroy the old if it cannot adapt, and that was what we were-a bunch of old souls that couldn't change with the times. And the result…" He swept an arm in front of him, gesturing to the muscle-hills and mountain-breasts and bone-steps._

_Another rumble swept through the ground, and as it faded she forced her unwilling body to move,walking step-by-step down the bones and passing fish that stood on two legs beside scorpion-men, snarling rapid dogs and horned-dragons, demons and monsters whose faces had been worn smooth and expressionless with the passing of time. She approached him, grasping his arm in as much support for herself as for the pain displayed on his face. _

"_Is that her?" She pointed behind him and to the statue he stood in front of. The statue proved just as odd and deformed as its brethren, displaying a vaguely human female. Its face was masked by the skull of some great and dead horned beast, yet the mouth that was visible displayed a snarling persona, one that seemed to scream for the blood of her foes with her four arms raised in and unholy fury. Each hand bore a weapon: In one hand a bow, another the arrow to be shot from it, while the lower two bore dagger and sword. From the upper arms feathers sprouted as though caught forever in a mid-transformation into wings, and her bare legs were covered in scales that could have been from a bird just as easily as they could have been from a snake. It stood adorned in silk, one long, large cloth that left one breast bare and exposed for all the world to admire._

_It held a frightening sort of elegance to it, and he shook his head, looking over his shoulder back at the creature with a fond smile. "No…no, this is-was-the light of my life. My mate. A fierce one, she was. Passionate in everything she did, from life to love to war and…" He trailed off with a shake of his head. "I miss her."_

_She tilted her head to the side, examining the worn statue carefully. At the right angle, it almost looked familiar. Almost. "What happened to her?"_

_He sent her a sidelong glance. "She disappeared one day, on the eve of the battle that turned the tables of war. Some thought she ran. Others thought her slain. More thought her a traitor." He shook her head. "The answer I didn't know for a long, long while. But back then it is what I believe truly led to our downfall. She gave me strength, you see, for when I needed it most. Yet with her gone…"_

_He shook himself, his whole body, as though he were a wet dog ridding itself of water. "But that is a story for another night. As it is, my strength on this plane grows thin with your continued presence." As if in echo of his words, the world rumbled restlessly, sending bones clattering against each other noisily and nerves twitching and hissing irritably._

_This time the tremor was great enough that she grabbed him with both hands, desperate to keep her balance. He looked down at her. "Tehom sense you here, and you're starting to wake her."_

_She gaped at him. "You mean she is still alive? Even in this state?" It was her turn to spread her arm, gesturing to the horrid land around her, and he laughed._

"_Yes." He responded. "Yes she is. For she is the Heavens and the Earth. I would think you would know this already. Surely nothing can live within either realm if the Heavens and the Earth are dead, no?"_

"_N-no…"_

_He nodded. "And so instead she sleeps, with me, her son, to keep watch over her." He patted her head as though she was a child. "It means insuring little children like you do not come to this place, where your voice disturbs her slumber and rouses her, for her awakening would be a very, very bad thing."_

"_Very, very bad thing how?" She eyed him warily, and he smiled._

"_If you're lucky, you'll never find out."_

_He placed his free hand on top her own, gently guiding her away from the fierce creature he claimed as his consort and down the stairs. Tehom rumbled restlessly once more, yet he continued without pause, his step sure and steady against her own weak and clumsy ones. When she stumbled and near fell from the tremors, he caught her, and with an easy swoop he was carrying her once more, leaving her face warm and red at her own incapabilities._

"_Where are you taking me?" She asked, fighting though her blush and meeting a pair of eyes that watched her in amusement._

"_Home, of course." He stepped onto the muscle, and the tremors seemed to calm instantly. "Now hush. I need to concentrate for this to work." His eyes grew distant, silver brows furrowing together in concentration as he focused on some point beyond her. Before them the muscle stretched and retracted, and she watched nauseously as the muscle fibers parted and snapped with a 'twang' more felt than heard. A hole appeared before them, and the blood on top the muscle vanished as it fell through._

_She strained her neck to see what lay within the hole, yet she saw nothing but darkness. She stared at it, perturbed, and suddenly her grip on him grew stronger. "And where does _that_ lead?"_

_He stepped towards the hole, and she grew restless in his arms as they drew near. Had it been possible, she'd have climbed atop his head if it meant keeping away from the hole. Yet it was not, and as he drew near it he easily separated her death grip on him, holding her out in front of him and over the hole as though in offering to some __higher power. "You know that as well as I." He replied, and his smile was cruel. "It's time to fall, Little Songbird. You don't belong here anymore."_

_And she fell with a scream, through the hole and into the darkness, watching as the red light of the world that was a god grew feint, the one who guarded it small, and the world around her black._

"_Kingu!" _Belldandy awoke with a shriek, sitting up in her bed so quickly that she grew lightheaded. The world spun nauseously within her blue eyes, and dizzy, the brunette fell from where she rested, landing on the hard ground with an audible '_thump_'. A weak moan escaped her lips, and with an effort she rolled onto her back, meeting the violet gaze of Kin-_Urd_ staring down at her.

The demon raised a silver brow. "Have a nice trip?" She muttered, resting her chin upon her arms. They rested on the back of the chair she was sitting in-the same place Belldandy recalled seeing her before falling into an uneasy sleep.

Belldandy looked at the demon blankly, and Urd rolled her eyes with a sigh. "Forget it." She grumbled, instead narrowing her eyes at the goddess. "But now you've got me all curious, little sister." Her voice held a false sweetness to it that left a bad taste in Belldandy's mouth. "What do you know of Kingu?"

Carefully Belldandy propped herself up on her elbow, staring up at the false-goddess in surprise. "You know the name?" Her voice was harsh-not as harsh as it had been, Urd's potion had done miracles-yet it still had an unfavorable rasp to it that made Belldandy want to wince every time she spoke.

The demon snorted in dour amusement. "Know the name? Hon, every demon and their sire know the name 'Kingu'. I'd be willing to bet even the Daimakaicho's heir even knows the name 'Kingu'. What I want to know is how a first-class goddess like _you_ came about the name."

_You would lose that bet. _Belldandy thought, recalling her sister's initial confusion at the first mention of the name. She kept the thought to herself. "It is the name of a man. One who visits me in my dreams. I've even seen him while awake, here on the Assiah. Although those times are rarer."

Urd hummed in thought, chewing on her lower lip as she scrutinized the goddess with critical violet eyes. "And what does he say to you in these visits. Do you remember?"

The woman shook her head. "Not always." She admitted. "He appeared to me during last night's battle-" She stopped, feeling her throat lock up painfully, and for a moment it grew hard to breath as a wave of despair swept through her. Swallowing, the goddess took a deep breath, releasing it slowly as she regained her composure. When the Norn spoke again her voice was strong and composed. "I had…I had been healing Keiichi. Yet I was still weak from the potion, and did not have the strength to mend his wounds. I was going to unlock my seal when he appeared. He stopped me."

"Why?" Urd prodded.

Belldandy hesitated for a moment, then with a frown said, "Kingu claimed I'd kill myself if I undid the seal. He said I was already at my limit, and to go any further was suicide." Carefully the goddess sat up, wincing as she shifted into a more comfortable position against her bed. "I believe I fainted after that. For after he disappeared I could only remember reawakening in this room." She eyed the disguised demon with curious blue eyes. "Now will you tell me who he is?"

Urd rubbed her chin in thought, and Belldandy watched as the hand moved from her chin to her temples, rubbing them as though her head ached. The bronze woman muttered something incomprehensible under her breath and then leaned back in her chair, rocking on its front legs. "So you were near death when he appeared on the Assiah?" She asked, and after a moment's hesitation, Belldandy carefully nodded.

The demon's breath came out in a drawn out hiss. "Perhaps that is why…" She mumbled, violet eyes growing distant before focusing on Belldandy. "Kingu's dead." The demon confessed. "Has been for ages-since the Daimakaicho's been around, at least. Perhaps even longer, if one's to believe the rumors and myths surrounding him." The woman smiled raucously at the shocked expression on Belldandy's face. "Rumors say he visits demons that are about to die, and those who have near-death experiences claim to see him from time to time, but I've never heard of a _goddess_ meeting him. Supposedly he doesn't like gods very much. They're the ones who killed him, after all."

Belldandy stared long and hard at the demon, her mouth agape. "Who was he?" She finally asked, and the smile on Urd's face faded.

"Who was he indeed…" The demon murmured, closing her eyes with a scowl. "The Father of Humanity, I suppose."

"Father of Humanity?" Belldandy echoed, and Urd nodded.

"An old, old creature dating back from a time before gods and demons existed. When he was slain by the younger gods, his blood and the clay from the newborn earth were used to fashion the first humans. With his death the victors declared him and those who fought at his side as demons. Any man can trace his lineage back to Kingu if he searches hard enough, just as any demon can trace their bloodline back to any of the eleven demons that fought under Kingu's reign."

"_Kingu is the blood of man drawn off from this early war,_

_In your veins you find the strength from the demon's heritage."_

The demon didn't so much sing the verse as quote it, and Belldandy listened with a disgruntled frown. "Thus humanity is related to the demon-kin, thin though the blood may be, and as you can see, we still sing of it to this very day-a reminder of humanity's heritage, and why we form contracts with them and why they must be respected. For they can be as sly and cruel as any demon, lesser-kin to us they may be."

"I'm not sure I agree with what you're telling me, Urd." Belldandy murmured, disliking the direction the conversation was going.

Urd shrugged. "You don't have to agree with it. Or like it, or even believe it if you don't want." She said. "I'm just telling you what I know of Kingu, and from what I know, he lost a war, and we-the demon-kin-were on that losing side with him. We didn't write the history books, Belldandy-we didn't get to pick and choose what was written in stone versus what was omitted-the only person who could truly tell you that are _your_ betters, not mine."

* * *

The bronze woman took a shaky breath, trying desperately to calm her nerves. Yet somewhere behind her she could still hear the _shhhrink_ of a blade against a grindstone, and rather than easing her nerves it sent her heart leaping into her throat. The silver-haired woman swallowed it back down again, fidgeting uncomfortably in her seat.

Across from her, a golden-haired youth smiled, revealing teeth that looked more at home in dog's maw than a man's. "Calm down Bright Lady, you're only making it worse for yourself." He didn't speak Japanese-the language was thick and sharp, with words rising in pitch to the point of shrieks and falling to the point of growls. Had Urd not been raised at least part of her life under her mother, the language no doubt would have left her panicked and half-mad by now.

Instead Urd glared at him. "I'd love to." She growled, speaking to him in his own tongue-her tongue now as well. "However given the current circumstances, I find that a little difficult at the moment." She fidgeted in her chair once more, and this time the ropes that held her in place bit snugly into her body. As if the chair wasn't uncomfortable enough-the ropes were unnecessarily tight against her frame, and they did their job of reminding her of that with every breath she took, every small move she made.

_Shhhrink, shhhrink._

Valu-Mara's cousin, Urd reminded herself-nodded in false sympathy, patting the hand he held spread across the table in support. It was the only limb not bound to the chair, and it laid splayed straight across the table, her sleeve pulled back and displaying the shiny metal band around the woman's wrist. "Understandable." He replied. "However, you mustn't forget that it is Sir Furcas the Cruel who is doing the deed, Bright Lady, and he takes great pride in his sadistic tendencies. To show him your anxieties is the same as a rabbit running from a dog-the dog will chase, and Sir Furcas shall go out of his way to ensure that you scream."

Despite her nervousness-or perhaps because of it-Urd laughed. "Valu, I can assure you, it doesn't matter if Sir Furcas comes with a knife, a mace, or a hacksaw-I _will_ scream, and it will be loud." She smirked. "I can only hope my scream is loud enough that it ruptures the eardrums of all those who hear it and give me the pleasure of seeing all you fools bleed from your deaf ears."

The demon in front of her roared with laughter. "Ah! And to think, this one was a goddess at one time!" He crowed. "With how you speak, it sounds as if you never left us Bright Lady! Tell me, do your younger siblings know such dark thoughts run through your mind?"

Urd raised a silver brow. "No more than a fish eats the cat that catches it." She retorted. "Now could you tell that silmey old bastard to get a move on, Mr. Lizard? My ass is growing numb in this chair and I can feel the blood circulation in my arm being cut off with how tightly you grip my hand." She snorted. "You cling to it so tightly one would thing you were about to wed me, not hold me down as an old man lops my hand off."

_Shhhrrrink._

Urd had found the Goetia with little difficulty after parting ways with the Morning Star. Or rather, they'd found her, appearing from the shadows as though they were phantoms and guiding-no, dragging; she'd panicked at their sudden appearance-her off to places unknown. The silver-haired demon didn't know where they were or how they'd gotten there; there'd been a portal, and where they'd appeared was no place Urd was familiar with.

It had the feel of an old fort, whatever, wherever, it was. Walls made of brick and stone and mortar surrounded her, and what wasn't brick or stone was metal or wood. The only source of light came from the small peepholes that rose along the corners of walls and ceiling, formed from bricks that had been removed only to be piled as steps beneath the holes. Sunlight shown down from the holes, yet when they'd passed through the rays Urd had found little warmth in their light. It was a cold place that smelled of mold, rust, and rotting wood, with enough corridors and hallways that after the first three turns Urd was at a loss as to how to return to the room with the portal.

The Goetia who'd found her-the winged hound and the fireman-had led her to a room, guided Urd to a chair, and promptly left. Valu had been in the room already when she'd entered, along with the overgrown wolf and the old man Valu referred to as 'Sir Furcas the Cruel'.

"_You've been branded."_ He'd told her. _I can smell the Valkyrie's stench from here. They like to put trackers on the brands of those they wish to keep, you know. They'll find out you are gone. They'll discover Gamori, and then hunt you down like a rabbit. We need to remove it before that happens."_

Yet a careful examination of the brand had shown no way to remove it; there was no wedge, no hair-thin line showing where one end met with the other. It held a strange elasticity to it that moved and stretched with Urd's skin, preventing anyone from slipping anything under it and showed no signs of damage when Valu had carefully sawed at it with a knife.

It had proven remarkably resistant to magic-in fact detrimental to the wearer when magic was used. The wolf's-Amon's- careful flame had heated the metal to the point where it had grown red-hot against Urd's skin and caused the new demon to lash out at the beast in pain. That was how the table Urd's arm laid stretched out upon had gained its long, black burn, as well as the floor and an adjoining wall. She'd punched him hard enough in the nose that the flames he'd been breathing onto the brand had gone wild.

Valu and Sir Furcas-especially Sir Furcas-had been none too happy with that, especially after Sir Furcas had nearly been set alight by Amon's flame. The old man had sent the wolf running in his rage before the old demon had turned his anger on Valu.

That was how Urd found herself bound to her chair.

It was for her safety.

Really.

_Shhrrink. Shhhrink._

When the brand had cooled to its original gold once more, about the only thing Urd could tell that had been burned was her own skin. No scratches, no edges, no warping-it seemed nothing could be done to get rid of the band.

"_Your options are slim with this brand, Bright Lady." _Valu had started. _"We cannot afford to take you with us if you bring Valkyries with you. We have no time to waste fending them off if we are to find Vikoka and rescue my cousin. You have two options while you wear the brand: Fend for yourself or return to Niflheim, where your trail will be buried so deeply no Valkyrie will dare follow it. If you return to Niflheim, the Lady Daimakaicho might find a way to remove the brand."_

That had been out of the question, of course. Urd was no tracker, and she didn't even know where they'd taken her, let alone how to find Vikoka. Nor did she have the resources or information the Goetia seemed to have-it had been why she'd sought them out in the first place. And Urd wasn't about to return to Hild. She'd become a demon, yes, but it was for the sake of her sisters, not the Daimakaicho. Returning to Niflheim and its ruler were the last things Urd wanted to do.

Which was how Urd found herself sitting tied to a chair in a room somewhere in the middle of nowhere, readying to have her hand chopped off by a demon she'd pissed off less than thirty minutes ago.

_Shhhrink. Shhhrink. Shhhhhrrrrink._

The grinding stopped, and Urd heard the soft steps of boots moving behind her. She saw Valu look up above her head and grin, and from the corner of one violet eye Urd caught sight of the brown uniform the old man wore. She looked up at the demon, meeting a face so wrinkled and sagging with age that his flesh hung down atop his eyes. The bronze woman could see nothing but a pair of black slits where his eyes should have been as a result, and had it not been for the ugly snarl that spread across his lips as she looked up at him, Urd would have been hard pressed to say he was actually looking at her. His teeth were old and brown and rotten, and the smell of smoke hung from his body as heavily as his flesh.

The man was bent with age, yet even stooped Sir Furcas proved to be just as tall as Urd, with hands as large as her head. Now, one of those leathery, aged hands held a large, thick knife. Its wooden handle was decorated with runes, and the blade dripped water onto the ground as he approached; freshly-cleaned of metal grindings and stone-ash from the sharpening.

Urd eyed the blade nervously, feeling herself start to sweat as the old demon approached, his free hand gripping the back of Urd's chair as he loomed over her. This was a stupid idea, she realized. Yes, she needed to save Skuld and Keiichi and yes she needed the Goetia's help in doing it, but was it really worth losing a hand over? _Why not?_ A cruel little voice teased in her mind. _You've already sacrificed your heart for power-is sacrificing a hand any different?_

Urd grit her teeth. Last time had been different. Nidhogg had given her something to replace what had been consumed. _Last time was always different. You always say that. You ask me, I don't see what's so different this time. It seems to me all you need to do is eat the hand of something else then. You'll regrow your hand as you replaced your heart. Why not Sir Furcas here? Especially since he's the one taking your hand from you in the first place…_

The demon scowled. _I don't want to be remembered as a cannibal. _She told the voice. _And even if I did, I sure wouldn't want to be eating anything that came from _his _body. I don't want to have a hand large enough to crunch a melon and covered in age spots._

The sound of the voice's laughter was drowned out by the sound of Valu speaking to her once more. "Tell me when you're ready." He said, readjusting the grip on her hand and tugging it closer to his body.

The silver-haired demon grunted at the tug, flexing the fingers of her hand nervously. "Then we're going to be here for a long time Valu. There's no way in the heavens or the hells that I'm ready for this."

Valu snickered and Sir Furcas moved away from the back of Urd's chair. "That's fine then. We'll just go at the count of three. How does that sound?"

Urd bared her teeth in something too mean to have been a smile. "Considering I'm at the mercy of you two? It doesn't matter how it sounds to me. Just hurry up and get it over with."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Positive?"

"Posi-will you just get on with it?" Urd snapped.

Valu chuckled. "Alright, alright, just wanted to make sure. We demons don't like it when things come back to bite us, you know."

Urd growled. _As if this isn't going to come back and bite you…or me, for that matter._

"Alright, on the count of three. Count with me. Ready?"

"One."

"One" Urd repeated.

"Two." They said together.

"_THREE!"_ Sir Furcas roared.

And true to her word, Urd screamed.

* * *

Skuld squeezed her eyes shut as tightly as possible, leaning as far back into the wall as she possibly could. Her hands covered her ears, yet they only proved to muffle the harsh moans arising from the injured man on the other side of the cell. Upon hearing his cries, Mara had quickly lost interest in Skuld, and in that time the child had moved as far away from the demon as possible as the blond turned her attention towards the wounded mortal.

She hated to say it, but for a brief moment, the demon had actually _scared _the young Norn. From anyone else, Skuld might not have been so disturbed, however this was _Mara_ who'd scared her-harmless, weak Mara who was allergic to good luck charms and couldn't stop dancing to rock and roll. Or was it disco? Skuld couldn't quite remember, but it was one of the two, and for as long as she'd known the demon, Skuld could never recall a time she'd even been intimidated by the blonde, let alone flat out _scared._

The moans rose into screams, harsh and ragged and desperate, and gritting her teeth Skuld's eyes popped open once more. The man was lying on his stomach, yet from where Skuld sat, only his legs were visible, his feet kicking the stone floor. The rest of Keiichi's body was blocked by Mara, and before the girl realized what she was doing she was racing towards the duo. "Mara! Leave Keiichi alone!" She cried, reaching into her shirt to withdraw something she realized only too late that she didn't have any more.

Mara wasn't deaf to her cries, either. The blond head of hair rose, and the demon twisted to face the Norn, a fist racing towards Skuld and aimed at her head. Something not quite a curse escaped the girl's throat, and the youth came to a sliding halt, instinctively Skuld raised her hand to shield herself from the incoming blow.

It never connected.

Instead, a voice, rough and harsh and grinding, spoke one word. "Look."

Grimly, Skuld opened eyes she hadn't even realized were shut, peering through her arms and finding Mara looking up at her from where she kneeled at Keiichi's side. Her eyes held a soft glow to them that illuminated the red of her irises, and she held a hand up for Skuld to examine.

Slowly, Skuld lowered her hands, and when she did the youth quickly wished she hadn't. Mara's hand was red. It shown darkly in the light of their cell, still wet from whatever source the blood had come from. Skuld gasped, a hand moving to cover her mouth as a wave of nausea swept through her. "Is...is that?" She stammered, swallowing bile as her stomach rebelled, and Mara nodded.

"Hurt." The woman grunted. "Sick." She placed her other hand-this one free of blood, thankfully-against her forehead. Another moan-scream arose from Keiichi, and the demon winced. "Has..." She trailed off, muttering under her breath, and Skuld made out the words 'drawing', 'sleep', and several more that sounded more like gibberish than actual words. "Sick-pictures." The blond finally decided, tapping her head and clutching her forehead as though sick herself.

"Sick-pictures?" Skuld repeated, and Mara nodded with a scowl. "Like...fever dreams?" This time the woman nodded vigorously.

"Sick-pictures-fever dreams." The woman continued. "Has…dreams? No…fever!" She cried. "Keiichi has fever." The woman leaned to one side, giving Skuld a better view of Keiichi as she pointed to his back. The jacket he wore was shredded badly, and Skuld could see the inner lining peeking through the black leather, red and clumpy with blood. "Fever from hurt."

The woman grunted, rolling off the balls of her feet from where she crouched next to the man and allowing herself to fall to the ground. "Need fix." A leg thrust out away from Keiichi, and the demon banged her heel hard enough against the ground to make Skuld jump. "I fix." The demon shifted to sit cross-legged, bringing the foot she'd slammed against the ground close.

Her own curiosity getting the better of her, Skuld peered over the demon's shoulder, staring at the wedge that had broken off from the blonde's boot. The woman tugged at it, and with a hollow _pop_ the piece was removed. The demon examined it for a moment before looking to Skuld. "Catch." She said, tossing it to the youth, and startled Skuld scampered to catch it.

She didn't, and it hit the stone floor with a hollow _clunk._ "Oops." Skuld muttered, catching the raised eyebrow Mara directed her way before stooping down the pick up the fallen object. It wasn't very large; little more than a chunk of hard resin that fit easily in the palm of her hand. "What is it?" She asked, flipping the piece over and running her fingers along its sides, searching for a hidden latch or button that might reveal something more. Finding a clip along the corner of one edge, the girl dug a finger into it, prying the clip open after a small struggle and popping the top off.

Brown eyes blinked in confusion at the inner contents. "…A sewing kit?" She looked at the demon then back to the resin's contents, bemused. "Mara, what am I supposed to do with this?" She rummaged through the thread and odd looking pair of tiny scissors, withdrawing a needle from the clear casing it was it. "What, do you want me to sew up the tears in Keiichi's jacket or something?" She demanded, shoving the needle out in front of her. "I can't even do that! The needles are bent! What am I supposed to do with a sewing kit and a bunch of bent needles?"

For a long time Mara stared at the girl blankly. Then golden brows furrowed together, and Mara's red gaze shifted from Skuld to the needle and back again. "…Wha?" The woman finally asked, and Skuld bit her lip angrily. Yet before the dark-haired youth could let loose a tirade on the demon's incapability to listen, the blond spoke again. "Too…fast." She managed. "Speak slow. Soft. Can't…" A frustrated growl arose in her throat, and the woman gestured wildly at the girl, and despite herself Skuld felt her cheeks heat up in a blush.

_I spoke too fast. She couldn't understand me. _"Oh." She looked down at the little sewing case, whispering in a softer voice, "Stupid language barrier." As if things weren't bad enough…Taking a deep breath, Skuld tried again. "The sewing kit." She held it case and needle in front of her for Mara to see. "What do I do with it?"

The demon still had a confused look to her, and Skuld began to wonder just how much of what she said was understood. Yet she seemed to get the gist of Skuld's question when the Norn thrust the kit and needle at her. With a grunt she made a circle with her forefinger and thumb, then directed a blood-encrusted finger through the circle. She said something in a harsh, guttural language that made little sense to Skuld, then pointed from the sewing kit to the needle.

The demon repeated the gesture once more, and this time Skuld thought she understood the meaning behind the demon's actions. "Okay, I think I get it. You want me to thread the needle, right?"

Mara stared.

With an aggravated sigh, Skuld readjusted her grip on the needle, pointing to the eye. "Thread. The. Needle."

This time the demon nodded, and without another word the blond turned her attention back to Keiichi, shifting once more to crouch over the pained mortal. The woman carefully manipulated the man's arms through the sleeves of the jacket, and Skuld quickly focused on the sewing kit, preferring to stare the small bit of steel and thread to whatever it was the woman was doing.

"Guess she really _does_ want me to fix his jacket." She decided, cringing as another moan arose from Keiichi's throat.

Turning her back to the demon so as not to accidentally catch sight of whatever Mara was doing, Skuld set the little case in her lap, removing a small spool of black thread and grabbing the end from where it poked through on one sliced edge of plastic. Licking the tip of the string, the girl poked at the needle's eye with no small amount of effort, and after several trial-and-error misses the young goddess finally fit the tip through the eye. "Got it!" She cried, feeling a small bit of joy momentarily flare in her chest at the little victory.

She turned to Mara. "Alright Mara, I've got it. Now wha-" The words died in her throat as she looked past the demon and to Keiichi. The woman had removed her cloak, and Keiichi now laid on his stomach, spread across the cloth on the floor with the remains of his jacket acting as extra cushioning for the man. His torso bare and naked, Mara hovered over the pained man, straddling his arms to his sides' in-between his legs. The woman was practically lying on top the unfortunate mortal, one hand baring down on Keiichi's shoulder as the other hovered over the wounds in his back.

The Norn had known Keiichi had been injured, but with the jacket removed Skuld saw the true extent of his injuries. Keiichi's back was torn to shreds. Several long gashes, deep and narrow, covered his back. Even the shortest went from the small of his back to his shoulder blades, and Skuld found if she focused long enough she could see bone beneath the black-red torn flesh. The skin around the gashes were swollen and red, oozing pus and fresh blood now that the jacket was gone.

And Mara's face was close enough to Keiichi's injuries that it looked as though the demon wanted to bury her face in the wounds.

For the life of her, Skuld was unsure if she wanted to scream, attack, or vomit at the sight before her. And so she settled for the last option, which proved to be freezing in horror, staring at the sight before her aghast.

Mara looked up at the sound of Skuld's voice, and upon seeing the horror-struck youth, plucked something from Keiichi's back before propping herself up on her knees. The woman wiped her mouth on a torn sleeve of her uniform before holding out her hand expectantly. When Skuld didn't respond, the blond grunted irritable and gestured the youth towards her.

Numbly Skuld felt herself walk towards the fanged woman. "Wh-what were you doing?" Her voice came out a whisper, and swallowing, the Norn tried again. "What were you doing to Keiichi?" This time it came out a shout, and the blond bared her teeth in an aggressive snarl.

The display, combined with the already unnatural glow of her eyes, produced a rather intimidating appearance, yet though Skuld flinched she did not back down. "You were hurting him, weren't you?" The Norn demanded. "What were you doing-"

A hand thrust out before her face, and once more youth flinched. Blinking angrily, the girl fought to focus on the fingers hanging in front of her, finding something dangling from Mara's red fingers. "…A string?" Long and red, it hung listlessly from Mara's hands.

Mara nodded, bouncing her hand up and down and causing the red string to dance like a thin red worm. "Yes. From hurt. Needs leave or cause…" The demon trailed off again, once more groping for the proper words. "Ah…cause fever in hurt?" She tried, releasing the bloodied thread and shifting to point at the puffiness around Keiichi's wounds. "Yes?"

The blond looked to Skuld for clarification and the girl nodded. "Yes…" She started hesitantly. "So you were getting rid of the string stuck in his wounds, right? To stop them from being infected?"

Mara tilted her head to one side but offered no comment beyond that, and Skuld knew she'd lost the demon once more. "…I'm just going to have to hope that you were…" She muttered dourly, before offering Mara the needle and thread. _Looks like a language barrier isn't the only thing I'm going to need to work on. It looks like Mara wants to help, but I trust her about as far as I can throw her without Banpei._

A grim smile spread across Mara's face at the sight of the thread and needle, and with a nod the demon took the items from her, gesturing Skuld closer to Keiichi. Cautiously the youth approached, sitting down next to the haggard man as Mara's gesture.

With a grunt the demon waved the girl closer, and as the girl hesitantly moved to better examine the wounds Mara bent across Keiichi's back once more. "Watch." She said. "Learn." And without another word the demon plunged the needle into Keiichi's skin. Bent as it was, it poked through the flesh torn open from his injuries, and with a small tug, the needle was out of his skin and the thread moving through the new piercings.

Keiichi did not scream.

Lost in the throes of fever dreams and the pain of his own injuries, the man did not so much as twitch in response to the needle.

Skuld however, did.

And she screamed long and hard, brown eyes large and appalled. She screamed so loud that Mara near dropped the needle. Beneath her, Keiichi moaned, but otherwise showed no signs of rousing.

"Mara, what are you _doing_?" Skuld shrieked, covering her mouth as a wave of bile rose at the back of her throat. _I think I'm going to be sick._ "I thought you were trying to _help _Keiichi, not hurt him!"

The look Mara gave her was murderous, and with a snarl the demon bellowed at her. Skuld didn't know what it was the demon bellowed at her, but it was loud enough to drown out her own screams an silence the young Norn. _Never mind Keiichi, Mara looks like she _really_ wants to hurt me! _Stunned at the rage splayed across the demon's face, Skuld leaned back, certain that the blond was going to leap off from Keiichi and attack her.

Yet again Skuld misjudged the demon, for rather than assault they youth, the demon kept her place over Keiichi, roaring some ugly mixture of growls, roars, and words Skuld both could and could not understand, all the while pointing to Keiichi's injuries. Showing no comprehension of whatever it was the fanged demon was trying to communicate to her, Skuld did nothing but stare, which seemed to only further aggravate the demon.

This time Skuld distinctly caught the name 'Urd' in the snarling tirade that was Mara, and just as quickly as it appeared the fury suddenly vanished, disappearing under a smoldering scowl. "You." The demon pointed to her. "Here." She pointed to Keiichi. "_Now._" And despite herself Skuld did exactly as ordered, all but leaping to follow the demand.

"You will listen." The woman's voice was thick with rage. "You will watch." She spoke carefully, and the woman's heated red eyes bore into her with a terrifying intensity. "You will learn." Faster than the Norn could follow Mara's hand lashed out, grasping Skuld's chin painfully. "You will _survive._ I make sure. Gets it?"

"Got it." Skuld's voice was barely a whisper, yet none the less Mara released her, examining the young goddess up and down with eyes like magma before nodding. And with the same amount of intensity she'd regarded Skuld with, the woman redirected her focus once more to Keiichi's back. Again, she pierced his flesh, drawing the needle out through the broken skin, only to knot the thread and pull it tight, drawing the flesh together.

She did it again, first on one side, then the next, slowly and methodically working her way down the wound and leaving a line of stitches, small and black and neat, it its place. After the first wound was sewn shut, Skuld found herself trembling. When Mara started the second, the youth had to swallow back the nausea that threatened to engulf her repeatedly.

And upon the third, one the two longest wounds stretching from the base of Keiichi's spine all the way to his neck, Skuld couldn't help it.

She feinted.

Her vision graying to black and the stone floor rushing up to meet her, the last thing she heard was Keiichi's pitiful moans and Mara's growl-screech of a language.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Yeah…Skuld's reactions to Mara stitching up Keiichi's back based on a mixture of the belief that she has no medical knowledge what so ever, is a child, and how my own pansy-ass would react to watching someone get stitches. The very thought makes me lightheaded, and here I am writing about it. So either I'm a masochist or I'm trying to work through my own fears, though I'll leave that up to you to decide. Hadn't really meant for it to be so long but…such is life._


	27. Prison Mates

The desk was a mess, covered in spreadsheets and reports bold with _DEMINT\\TOP SECRET_ on the top of each page. Large maps depicted a small cluster of islands, all of which gradually zoomed in on the area in question before focusing on one island alone, followed by one province, then one town and finally one house, a shrine at the base of a mountain. Chicken scratch ranging from red to green to blue was scribbled randomly on each picture.

Hild hovered above it all, violet eyes boring down on the various images in heavy concentration, a red marker in hand as she jotted something down on the image of the shrine, before shifting her gaze over to one of the reports, skimming the contents to one of the many highlighted sections. Tapping a bejeweled finger against it, the woman pursed her lips in thought, before retuning to the map and jotting another quick note down.

Around her, other demons went about their business, one taking a report while another placed a thinner report on the edge of the table. The room was filled with the soft murmurs of demons pouring over information and the soft, rhythmic hum of typing keyboards. The area was surrounded by computers, all lined neatly against the walls of the room and displaying anywhere from six to eight monitors. Some showed the live feed of the very shrine Hild stared so intently at. Others showed a beaten old military fortress, the coordinates forever masked from view by a permanent piece of black tape that ran along the bottom of the screen. Even more showed endless sites of information, all lined at the top with different banners ranging from blue to green to red to black, each a higher classification than the last.

"Have we received the latest report from DEMINT-Source 2231?" Hild asked, shifting her gaze to the newest report on her desk and looking at it with a frown. Underlining a section in red, the bronze woman scribbled the new information down on another chart.

"No Ma'am." A demon responded. "It shouldn't be long however. The report is due before the hour is up."

Hild hummed an agreement, bobbing her head up and down in understanding, but otherwise said nothing, continuing to pour her efforts into the work in front of her. A quick look at a digital clock hanging from a wall showed fifteen minutes until the next hour, and with the knowledge that the lesser-demon's words rang true, Hild returned her gaze to the map.

"Lady Daimakaicho," another demon approached her, and the silver haired woman grunted in acknowledgment. "You have a phone call, Ma'am." The demon sounded nervous, and Hild spared the woman an annoyed violet eye.

"Whoever it is, tell them I'm in a meeting. No, wait, tell them I'm skydiving. Into one of Muspelhiem's lava lakes. That ought to baffle them so much they'll forget whatever it is they're trying to interrupt me with."

The demon lord gained the satisfaction of hearing the nervous woman snort back laughter at her excuse before speaking once more. "I ah, I'd love to Lady Daimakaicho, but it's coming from your cell."

This time Hild looked up, bringing her full attention to the younger demon. "What?"

The woman cringed. "Your ah, your cell phone, Ma'am. The call is coming from your cell phone."

The demon lord blinked. "Oh." Looking back down at the work before her, Hild grabbed an untouched report and returned her attention to the woman. "Here." She said, handing the thick stack of papers to the demon. "Read over this for me while I'm gone. Highlight anything that has to do with Valkyries or Vikoka's _Karmic Chakras. _If you finish before I get back, find someone to help you with the imagery. I want times, events, and locations written out on the charts." Rising, the Daimakaicho hoisted her arms above her head in a stretch. "If anyone asks, I've taken up my unfulfilled passion for skydiving into lava lakes, understand?"

This time she saw the woman smile, the initial nervous tension of speaking with the Daimakaicho gone. "Yes Ma'am."

Taking her leave of the room, Hild walked down the hallway, ears perking up in interest at the steady ring of her cell phone. She'd given it to one of Nidhogg's smaller worms to guard while locked away with her Intel Rats, and as she approached it hissed at her. "Yes, yes, nice to see you too." She cooed, stroking the creature's pale head as it unfurled around her phone. "Any bets as to who's calling me?"

The creature chattered something unintelligible, and Hild smiled. "Doubtful." She responded. "Despite everything that's going on, I don't think she's gotten so desperate as to call me _quite_ yet. Even if all she wanted was information, the girl's

smart enough to know that anything she asks for will come with a price."

It was rare for her cell phone to ring, which was precisely why Hild kept it near her at all times. The people who had access to the number were slim to none, reserved for matters of a more personal state; the Daimakaicho could count the number of people who knew the phone number on one hand.

"Let's see here..." Hild allowed the little worm to curl around her arm, it's many limbs tightly gripping the material of her sleeve. Unlocking the phone, the tall woman stared at the number, something that looked suspiciously like the words _sperm donor _spelled out in runes at the top. The silver-haired demon scowled. "It couldn't be someone nice, like Helr or Lucifer, could it? It just _has_ to be Him.

Releasing an over-exaggerated sigh, the woman brought the phone to one ear. "Hell-"

"_Hild, what in Yggdrasil's name is your problem!" _An angry voice screamed, and the Daimakaicho yanked the phone from her ear. Staring down at the small screen, Hild could still easily hear the words coming from the Almighty's side. _"We had an agreement! How dare you go back on that deal! What are your demons doing on the Assiah? We've been having deities drop dead left and right, Urd has dropped off Yggdrasil's radar as 'deceased', and Skuld's vanished! What have you been doing!"_

The screaming finally died down, and Hild stared at her cell phone in wonder. "Wow." She said aloud. "I must have really pissed Him off this time. It's rare for Him to even raise His voice at me, let alone throw a temper tantrum over the phone." The woman frowned in disappointment. "How could I not know what I did to Him?" She pondered. "It's no fun causing pain and suffering to a beloved ex if you can't even remember enough to gloat over the cause!"

"_I can hear you Hild."_

This time she glared at the phone. "Oh hush up, Love. I'm trying to recall how I'm responsible for any of the aforementioned events. Don't interrupt." She played with the worm on her arm, tracing random patterns in the air with a finger, the little creature playfully nipping at the nail with it's head full of teeth.

"_Hild..."_ She could almost see Him gritting His teeth on the other end of the line, and the woman grinned with mirth.

"Let's see..." She drawled. "The deaths are most likely in response to the latest little rebellion that's started down here. This group is a little more volatile than the stunt with Hagall, and some of my men have been forced to...go to the extremes with them." Her smile grew larger. "Of course, from what my reports said they had help, by the looks of it. You surprise me, Love. I'd never thought you'd give permission to your Valkyries to go out and assist my men in slaying our rouges. I don't know whether to thank you or berate you for your assistance in the matter."

By now the man on the other end of the line had gone absolutely silent. If it wasn't for the continued minute count on her phone, Hild would have very well thought the Almighty had hung up on her. Yet upon bringing it phone back to her ear, if she listened carefully, the Daimakaicho could hear the soft, controlled breathing on the other end. The demon continued. "As for Urd and Skuld, in all honesty, I don't know. Yet. I'm still waiting on-"

"_Hild, I have reports stating Urd is a demon." _His voice was soft and low, and it was the Daimakaicho's turn to fall silent. _"And there are no traces of Skuld on the Assiah, the Gehenna, or the Yetzirah. Now I ask you. Please, what has happened to my daughters? _Our _daughter?"_

"_Don't try and appeal to me, you piece of shit."_ She wanted to say, but bit her tongue before it had a chance to leave her mouth. Instead she said, "Look, I'm being as serious as you are when I say that _I don't know._ I cannot speak for Skuld as she's not my kin. In regards to Urd however, I can honestly say that it is doubtful that she is a demon. I would have known the instant she turned. Nidhogg would have alerted me and I'd have sensed her spike in power. And as you and I know very well, if that was the case, all we'd have to do is follow the path of destruction to her doorstep."

A new demon was approaching from further down the hallway. She made eye-contact with him, a silent demand to wait until she was finished with the Almighty, yet the demon continued towards her, staring intently at the woman. A large stack of papers rested tucked beneath one arm, and the demon's gate was rushed and quick, making a beeline for the Daimakaicho.

"_We have reports from Valkyries on the Assiah that Urd has turned." _The Almighty persisted. _"And I have seen the red star that graces her forehead now. Don't lie to me Hild. What have you done to her? Even in the past when she has turned, however brief those times were, we never received word from Yggdrasil of her death. Her account was still active and we could still find her through Yggdrasil if the need arose. Now she has vanished as dead and I have only the word of Valkyries to trust that Urd still lives."_

"And you think I'm to blame for this? I have only my own demons to base your claims on, Honey. I haven't heard anything from anyone, be they demon, Jotun, or Nidhogg. For all I know, it is _you _lying to _me_."

A twinge of annoyance rising in her chest, Hild glared at the demon as she listened to her Ex scream at her over the phone. Yet Astoroth had proven time and time again to be immune to her glares, and the demon continued his approach. Hild had always thought the reason behind his immunity was the large mask that covered half his face, blocking his eyes from her gaze. In it's place, nothing but an eerie white glowed, made all the creepier by the two horns that protruded from his mask, so long that they near scraped the chandeliers dangling from the ceiling.

"Lady Daimakaicho," the man hissed, dipping into a quick bow that wasn't really a bow before hurriedly shoving the stack of papers at her. "You need to read this."

Hild regarded the man with a raised silver brow. Drawing the phone away from her ear so the Almighty wouldn't hear her, she said, "Astoroth, there are a great many things I _need_ to do. They can all wait until after I'm finished with the person on the other line. Didn't your mother ever teach you it is rude to interrupt a conversation?"

"Lady Daimakaicho, I am the cursed product of two gods fused into one body. Neither Ishtar nor Ashtar were known to have mothers. The only woman I can draw experience from is the one who was fused to create my body."

Hild rolled her eyes. The demon loved to remind people of how he'd come into existance. "Yes, yes, and I'm speaking to your sire on the phone. Would you like me to pass anything on to Him?" The woman plucked the mass of papers from the demon's hands, mindful of the sharp, curved talons that took the place of nails on the demon's hands.

"Tell Him that I demand He return me to my original state." Astoroth replied. "I want my position as a fertility goddess returned to me."

Skimming through the report, Hild frowned, one line in particular catching her attention. The woman hummed in distracted agreement as the frowned deepened. The Daimakaicho read the line once more, then re-read it to make sure she was seeing things correctly. A third glance proved that her eyes weren't going bad, and with furrowed brows the bronze woman began reading from the top of the report.

"_Hild!"_

The woman glanced up from her report. She'd forgotten the Almighty was still talking to her. A quick glance at Astoroth, and Hild smiled. "Would you like to tell Him yourself?" She asked the man. "I believe I need to read this."

The masked demon nodded eagerly, and with a smile Hild returned the phone to her ear. "Honey, I'm really sorry, but something caught my attention. I'm going to hand you over to one of your bastards. Astoroth _really _wants to have a talk with you."

"_Hild, I don't have any bastards. Astoroth isn't my kin."_

Hild's smile grew larger. "Of course he isn't, Love. And Urd isn't a demon." Something that sounded unmistakably like a growl was heard over the phone. "And one more thing, Hon, before I hand you over to the Morning Star and the Evening Star."

"_What?" _He snapped.

"I win." And with a laugh she handed the phone over to Astoroth's waiting talons, giggling madly as she turned and walked off, nose buried in the latest report of DEMINT-Source 2231, her mind filled with the image of a god reborn as a demon, the souls of the deceased rising in their slayers, and a deal made between an angel and a devil.

* * *

The sound of voices from afar stirred Mara from her uneasy sleep. Waking with a start, heart pounding, the demon looked around in confusion, the stone walls and cell bars unfamiliar and intimidating. Then the memories from before began to return, and Mara sighed uneasily, crawling into a sitting position and wincing as her arm flared painfully in response. The limb was throbbing again, and with a grimace the woman sniffed it. It smelled of blood and cloth, yet she couldn't smell rot or anything sickly that might have been an infection. Lifting the torn section of her sleeve up, the demon carefully inspected it.

She'd cleaned the excess blood away as best she could after treating Keiichi. What was left was a deep gash that spread from her elbow up into her triceps. The demon had licked the wound clean and shut, yet it was only a temporary bind. _I'm going to need stitches soon._ She thought grimly, lips pursed in distaste. Mara hated needles. Especially if they were being used on her.

The voices were getting louder now, and Mara tugged the torn sleeve down over the wound again. "Time to make a bargain." She muttered, pushing herself onto her feet with a grunt. For a brief second the world spun before her eyes, and the demon clutched her head, willing the dizziness to pass. "Not now." She hissed. "Wait until after they've come and gone. Then you can faint. Understand?" Keiichi wasn't the only one suffering from blood loss, and Mara doubted she'd be of much use to anyone if she didn't get some fluids in her soon.

A wave of stars caused the world to disappear threateningly for a moment, then the stars cleared and the dizziness alleviated itself. Taking several deep breaths, Mara swallowed before slowly straightening, moving towards the cell entrance to meet the wardens. Peering through the bars, the blond caught sight of firelight from a corner, two shadows eclipsed within.

When they rounded the corner, Mara took her time examining them. The shorter of the two held the flame, a demon whose brown skin looked all the darker in the poor lighting of the cell block. He wore a long, black beard, braided and beaded with shiny stones and metal loops. Thick, golden hoops hung from his ears in an attempt to draw attention away from his head, which was bare of even a fuzz of hair. The demon's dress was rich and complex, a multitude of patterns and sigils working from his trousers up onto his dress shirt.

He looked like a demon of a fairly high-ranking position, especially in comparison to his taller companion, a younger man with a mane of blonde hair several shades darker than Mara's own. It was heavily mussed on one side, as though the man had literally just gotten out of bed to come and harass his prisoners, yet there was something about his stiff, proud stance that gave off an air that screamed 'military'. The uniform he wore proved it, too. Though the clothes looked in dire need of a wash, Mara recognized the black and red combat uniform so many Slayers bore with pride day in and day out.

The duo caused the fanged woman to frown deeply. She'd known Vikoka to have his own private group, however Mara had never expected his influence to have worked so high or so deep into the Daimakaicho's walls. _There are enemies in the walls._ Her grandfather's voice whispered in her ears, and red eyes narrowed. What were they expecting in return for aiding Vikoka?

The blond decided to save the question for another time. She had other things to worry about at the moment. While neither a Slayer or a player in politics, Mara had made something of a name for herself in Niflheim as one of Hild's more...favored play toys. _Hopefully I'm a nameless face to them, if it's all the same._ She thought. _I haven't been in Hild's court in over five-hundred years. Unless that bitch Mada spread my name to all her friends, nobody should recognize me._

"Ah, it seems one of our guests is awake, my boy." The shorter demon approached her, thrusting a hand engulfed in yellow flame at the blond and causing Mara to flinch. "And just how are you this fine morning, Madam?" He peered up at her with watery red eyes, a crooked smile on his face.

_Definitely someone from Hild's court._ Mara thought, returning his smile with one of her own. _His smell is new to me though, so he must not be one of great power. A President, perhaps, or a Duke. Maybe even some small Lord. He might not know me yet, then. _"Well, I could use a hot bath and a nice meal, if it's not too much to ask." She said lightly.

The short demon outside the cell chuckled. "Unfortunately, I believe that might be a little out of my power." He responded. "However, I can make a request. Especially for a pretty face like you." The stranger smiled graciously. "It never hurts to ask, after all."

"How about some clean water and some soap then?" Mara asked, leaning her elbows between the bars and resting her weight upon them. It left the fanged woman just below eye-contact with the man, and she looked up at him innocently between the bars. "It can't be too much asking for some small attempt to stay clean down here, can it? I don't need to smell like roses, of course, but I'd at least like to pretend to be presentable to whomever my gracious host is. Wouldn't you agree?"

"And if we were to bring you your requested items, how much would you need, Demon First-Class Marller?" The taller blond stepped forward, pressing his body against the steel bars and causing them to spark dangerously. "Is it a cup of water you are requesting, or a bucket? How about a whole tub of water?" The demon hissed. "Would this soap and water be for you? Or would it be more suited for the god-child at your back? Or your pet human?" He sneered at her, revealing a mouth lined with snake-teeth, and Mara flinched away from him.

_Nidhogg curse it, they know me. _She shifted her gaze up to him, glaring up at the demon from beneath golden brows. "The human will die if his wounds aren't treated." She confessed.

Shorty shrugged. "Yes, and that will certainly be a casualty, but such is the nature of war. Surely you cannot expect everyone to live. And so long as you and the godling live, I'm certain the Daimakaicho's offspring will come, Femme Marller."

_Time to switch tactics._ Mara sent him a sidelong glance. "But what if I were to tell you that the human's death would be a very, very bad thing?" She asked. _So now we're at war?_

"Oh?"

The woman smiled sadly. "You see, I will tell you two a little secret," she put a finger to her lips, winking at the darker of the two. "And I don't want you to repeat this to anyone else, alright?"

The duo stared at her, then at each other, then back to her. "Out with it." The taller one growled. "Or I'll make you tell us."

Shorty swatted him. "Now, now, it's disrespectful to threaten a lady. Especially one such as the lady in our presence." He turned back to her, all smiles once more. "Now please, tell us, what is this secret you wish to confess. You have my word it shan't leave the lips of any present to hear."

_This is new._ Mara gave him her most endearing smile. _When did demons start playing 'good cop, bad cop'?_ "It seems some demons still know how to respect their guests. I'll tell you, Sir, what that secret is. However I find it unfortunate to say that your friend has shown himself to be less hospitable than you, and I must kindly ask that he takes his leave before I reveal anything to you." The blond gestured to the taller of the duo, earning a threatening snarl in the process.

_Do they really think this will work on me? _Mara drew away from him with a grimace of her own, scooting closer to the shorter man as though hoping he might protect her from the Slayer. _Three can play at this game._

"Calm down now, Loa." Shorty moved a hand to the taller demon's arm. "A simple request for a secret. This one time I believe it's easier to simply do as the Femme asks." Loa wrenched his arm away from the bald man's grasp with a growl. "Why not instead go and get the requested items? A bucket of water and a bar of soap should suffice." The man made a shooing motion with his hand, and with a snarl Loa departed, fists clenched tightly at his sides.

The two of them watched him depart around the corner before the short demon returned his attention to her. "Now, if you will, this secret that you seem to believe so worth the life of the young man behind you."

Mara nodded, allowing her gaze to drift over her shoulder and to where Keiichi rested, Skuld resting her head on the wounded man's shoulder. She'd moved the girl there after finishing the stitches, finding Keiichi's moans had died somewhat at her proximity. She looked back to the man. "The child you hold is the daughter's sister."

The dark demon nodded. "Yes, we know this already. She is the youngest of three."

A golden eyebrow raised in question. "Ah, but did you know how fragile she is?"

"Fragile?"

Mara nodded. "Yes. Very fragile. You see, growing up, I spent a portion of my childhood around the Daimakaicho's daughter, both as a demon and a god. And when spending time with her as a god, I was forced to spend time with her god-sisters as well. The second sister was just as fragile when she was that girl's age." She chucked a thumb behind her. "Now I'm sure you've heard the stories of how the girl behind me is a vicious little brute, filled with spite for any who dare touch the middle sibling and a mechanical genius that would put any demon to shame. Yet when you take all that away, what do you have?"

"A girl."

"A _scared_ girl. A child with nothing but that human for companionship, locked away in a cold, dark cell by a group of demons who could easily overpower her at a moment's notice." Mara straightened against the bars, angling herself to the side and gesturing at the duo. "Do you see how she takes comfort in the mortal, despite the man's injuries? Look at how pale and sickly she looks. The child is wasting away before our very eyes."

Quickly the demon turned her body once more, cutting off her companion's view of the duo. "Little godlings like this...they are like humming birds. Very small and very delicate. To catch one is an accomplishment in and of itself, however even in the best of care, it will quickly waste away in captivity. And as of right now, the only thing that is keeping her from dying is the knowledge that her little mortal is alive."

The man raised a bushy eyebrow. "What of you?"

Mara snorted. "What _of_ me?" She asked. "I am a demon, one that has threatened her on several accounts in the more recent years. Do you think she will draw strength from me? To her, I am the cat locked inside the cage with the humming bird. At any moment, I might end her life."

The demon rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "Yes...yes, I can see the truth in that. Yet even still, we need only one prisoner. Even if the sister is dead, surely the daughter will come for you."

Yet Mara shook her head. "No...no, unfortunately you are wrong there. Regardless of the relationship we had in the past, the fact remains that she is a god, I a demon. It is only for her sister that she would risk her life in the lion's den. Not a half-dead mortal. Not a demon once considered a friend."

"And the only way we can ensure that the sister survives is if the mortal survives."

Mara nodded.

"Yet even with the water and soap Loa is fetching, the man will die on this plain." The man continued. "He is neither god nor demon nor anything else that resides in this dimension. He is Lesser-Kin, thus cannot survive for long on the Greater Plains."

Mara shrugged. "Then fix it." She advised. "Fetch a potion that will allow him to exist in this world. Feed it to him with our next meal or shove it down his throat by force. He's in no fit condition to fight back, in case you haven't looked at him recently. And with his survival the girl will live as well."

"Ah, but there is one thing you forgot to take into consideration, M'Lady."

The fanged woman stared. "And what is that?"

The bearded man chuckled. "Why, you're own role in all this, of course!" Clutching the hand engulfed in flames, the fire suddenly vanished, leaving the duo in darkness. His eyes glowed an eerie red. "You have given me a reason to ensure the boy's survival, even the child's. Yet you have given none for yourself. In fact..." A sudden burst of flames burst from the demon's mouth, and with a shriek Mara backpedaled, throwing her hands out in front of her in a shield. Yet the flames proved harmless, colliding with the bars of the spell and instigating bright, angry sparks that devoured the fire.

Nevertheless, the demon tripped, falling to her rump with a grunt, and panting the blond looked up through the bars of the cell. "In fact," The bald demon continued. "You've gone out of your way to prove that you're useless to us. And so now I'm left to wonder if you're someone worth keeping around."

For once Mara was at a loss of words, staring up at the black silhouette in the darkness and finding its glowing eyes focused on her. "Ah, but such a thing is unfortunately not left for me to decide." The shadow dipped into a bow before straightening once more. "Regardless, you have given us much to thick upon. You're requested items shall be along shortly, and I shall speak with my companions on a potion for the mortal. It's been a pleasure speaking with you, demon first-class, Femme Marller."

He turned to leave, and as he did Mara rushed to her feet once more. "One more thing!" She cried, and the man paused in his step. "Please, one more thing before you leave."

She caught a piece of red looking back at her, and the fanged woman swallowed. "Your name, Sir. I never heard it. What is your name?"

A chuckle. "You wish to know the name of the one who threatens your existence? Whatever reason for?" A snort. "Bah, I suppose it matters not. And it is rather rude of me to not give you a name, is it not?" Not waiting for her to respond, the demon continued. "It is Efreet. Of the higher Yoma Clan, leader of the Jinn. Remember it well, Femme Marller, for there shall come a day soon when the Jinn will return to their rightful places as wish-granters."

And with that he was gone, leaving Mara alone with her thoughts.

"What where you guys talking about?"

Skuld's voice caused Mara to jump, and with a start she looked to the child, finding the youth watching her with one dark eye.

"_You wake."_ Switching over to the girl's native tongue, Mara asked, _"How long?"_

Skuld pushed herself up into a sitting position, looking down at Keiichi with a frown. "Long enough to know you guys were talking about something serious." She responded. "So what was it? Why did that guy try and burn you, Mara?"

Mara shrugged in response. _"Get soap and water."_ She said. _"For clean."_

"And the fire?" Skuld pressed. "Something tells me he wasn't trying to _kensic ca _you a _sappron._" The last couple of words were unfamiliar to her, and Mara stared at the youth blankly for several seconds, trying to remember if she'd heard the words before.

Unfortunately, nothing in her memory could dredge up the meaning behind the words, and so Mara shook her head. _"Threat."_ she responded. _"Is all. Soap and water for pain."_ She pointed past Skuld and to Keiichi, watching with a frown as the youth hurriedly moved away from the prone man.

Keiichi moan pitifully as though in response to the Skuld's sudden departure, yet otherwise remained unmoving. For a moment the demon and deity watched the mortal, yet when he made no other actions, Skuld redirected her attention at Mara. "Who were they?"

"_Loa."_ Mara replied, grabbing a fistful of blond hair. _"Efreet."_ This time she gestured to her face, rubbing her chin as she'd seen the demon do to his beard, and Skuld nodded. _"Remember names."_ She advised, the fanged woman's ears perking up in interest as the soft sound of boots on stone met her ears. _"One comes now."_

It was Loa once more, baring in his arms two buckets of water. The liquid sloshed around the sides of the containers, leaving a path of wet stains in the tall demon's trail. "Back against the wall." He ordered, sending Mara a dark look before eying Skuld as well. "The girl too."

Wordlessly Mara backed away from the cell bars, doing as ordered and moving towards the stone wall. When she reached Skuld, the demon tapped the youth on the shoulder, breaking the glare Skuld was leveling at the man and gesturing for the youth to do the same. At first it seemed as though the young Norn was about to argue with her, yet Keiichi moaned and shuddered at the girl's feet, and Skuld immediately shut her mouth and followed after the fanged woman.

It wasn't until the both of them were pressed firmly against the wall that Loa opened the cell gate. The man swung first one bucket, then another inside the gate, setting them down just within the perimeter of the cell. That done, the man dug into his pocket, removed something, and hurled it at the two prisoners.

With a yelp Skuld dodged to one side, yet Mara stepped forward, catching the bar of soap with a soft grunt before in could shatter against the wall. "There's your items." Loa said, the gate he'd opened swinging shut before either prisoner could think to react. "No more bitching now."

Playing with the bar of soap, Mara raised a golden eyebrow. "What, no washcloths?"

The man behind the gate snorted. "You never asked." And with a smart turn he was off and down the hall again, disappearing around the corner and leaving Mara stewing angrily.

"Nidhogg-blessed son-of-a fairy." She cursed, glaring down at the bar of soap before pocketing it and moving towards the two buckets. _"Come."_ She barked, looking over her shoulder at Skuld. _"Water. Clean Keiichi."_

Skuld stared at her in confusion, dark brows furrowing together. "But...what are you going to clean him with?" She asked. "We don't have _ssvartelr asa_!"

"Don't remind me." Mara muttered under her breath, grabbing one of the buckets and hoisting it off the ground with both hands. A good portion of the water looked to have spilled out just from the venture to the cell, leaving the bucket only half-full. "Thank Nidhogg the bastard brought two buckets." She said to herself, approaching Keiichi and depositing the bucket beside his body. The man was growing restless in his sleep, and despite the chill of the cell Keiichi was sweating heavily. He smelled strongly of sickness, and Mara wrinkled her nose at the smell.

"Stupid boy." She grumbled, eying Keiichi's wounds with a scowl. "Stupid Belldandy, allowing him to get kidnapped like she did. If it weren't for you Boy, I'd have already been out of here by now."

"Mara, what are _imma kalishr_?" Skuld approached with the second bucket in tow, depositing it next to the first and staring at the demon expectantly.

The demon redirected her scowl to the younger goddess. "Stupid girl." She added. "Stupid Norns. Stupid Gods. Stupid, stupid, stupid!" With a snarl the demon grabbed her torn sleeve, tearing it from her shirt and sliding it off her arm. The fanged woman's arm burned dully at the sudden exposure to the air, and the blond woman was certain she heard a gasp from Skuld, yet Mara ignored them both in favor of the sleeve in her hand. With a grunt she ripped the cloth once more, and what once was a sleeve suddenly became one long, black piece of cloth.

A careful examination of one edge of the cloth revealed a dark stain of dried blood, and with an irritated grunt the woman thrust it into one of the buckets, pulling it out and wringing out as much blood and water as possible. The water gone and the cloth damp, the demon repeated the process once, twice, thrice until the water ran clear.

Apparently satisfied with the cleaner rag, Mara than switched to the other bucket, dipping it in and and allowing the excess water to fall back into the container. Winding the cloth around her hand, the woman shifted to lean over Keiichi as much as possible before gently dabbing the cloth against the young man's swollen flesh. Even with the cold, wet cloth around her hand, Mara could feel the unhealthy heat radiating off the mortal's body at her touch, and her frown deepened.

Sponging as much of the blood off the boy as she could, Mara dipped the blood-soaked cloth back into the first bucket, once more rinsing as much blood from the shredded sleeve as possible. That accomplished, she moved the cloth back to the second bucket, this time taking the soap Loa had tossed at her and scrubbing it with the cloth until the water began to lather. Suds and bubbles on the sleeve, Mara once more treated Keiichi's back, carefully tending the wounds as gently as was in her power.

From the corner of one eye she caught Skuld moving to sit next to the her, for once in her life quiet. Refusing to look a gift horse in the mouth, Mara continued, methodically running the cloth lightly against the wounds, rinsing the rag of blood, pus, and pieces of scabs, re-lathering the makeshift washcloth, and repeating the process. Her body ached by the time she was finished from the awkward position above the mortal, and while Keiichi had grown still during her treatment, his body had gone from sweating to shivering instead. "...dandy.." He muttered, and his eyes fluttered weakly.

The demon ran a hand through thick golden hair. "You're not getting any better, are you Boy?" She asked him.

Keiichi didn't respond.

Dropping her hands into her lap, Mara sighed before moving to one of the clasps on her shoulders. Undoing the first one, half of the heavy cloak she wore slid off her shoulder. The demon repeated the action with her other shoulder, removing the cloak entirely from her person. A shiver ran through her at the sudden loss of warmth, and yet again Mara pushed the discomfort aside in favor of grabbing the cloak and laying it atop Keiichi's shivering form.

The cloak was large enough to completely blanket the man's body, and Mara found herself grateful that Belldandy's man was so short. Traditionally the cloak was made from bicorn hide, leaving the material light but strong, wonderful protection against not only the elements but divine magic as well. The inner lining in particular was made of the soft, short-fur pelt of a _kuda, _dyed black with a passive spell in its folds to recycle the wearer's body heat back onto the person in cool environments. They'd become a standard part of a demon's uniform when working on different planes of existence, as a warm bed was never a sure thing in regards to the demon-kin.

"Never thought I'd be grateful for actually wearing the damned uniform." Mara grumbled to herself, leaning away from the man to stare down at her outfit in distaste. The demon had never been much for the standard-issued uniform. Sure, the outfit was comfortable regardless of weather, and Mara could hide all sorts of goodies in its folds, however she stuck out like a sore thumb where the natives were concerned. Had Hild not given her _that_ look upon arriving in the Assiah so long ago, the demon would still have been garbed in a human's jeans and t-shirt.

"You're hurt, too."

Mara looked to her side, meeting the upset gaze of Skuld. "I don't get it." the child continued. "Why are you helping Keiichi if you're hurt too? You're a demon, aren't you? Why treat a mortal before yourself?" The girl frowned. "Why even help at all?"

Mara chose not to answer, instead holding a stare down with the youth until Skuld dropped her gaze. "At least look after your own injuries as well!" The youth bit her lip, looking at the buckets of water and then back to Mara. Hesitantly, Skuld moved to grab the wet cloth from where Mara had left in one of the buckets. A furious scowl on her face, the girl scooted closer to the demon, her free hand reaching out to tug Mara's injured arm towards her and causing the demon to grunt in pain. "Since you won't look after yourself, I guess that means I have to do it for you."

Clumsily, the dark-haired teen cleaned the wound, mimicking Mara's actions on Keiichi as best she could. Too baffled by the girl's sudden change in behavior, Mara held her peace, patiently allowing Skuld to rinse the wound before applying soap and water to the cut. Unfortunately, 'gentle' was not in the girl's vocabulary, and Mara had to swallow several screams when Skuld pressed too hard into the wound. The soap alone burned terribly, and whenever a hiss escaped Mara's throat before she could stop it, Skuld would freeze and pull away, sputtering out what Mara could only assume were apologies before the demon waved her on. The words were coming too fast for the demon to follow, and at that point, Mara was beyond caring what Skuld had to say.

It was a relief when Skuld finally dropped the ragged washcloth into a bucket and let it sink to the bottom. Mara's arm burned and throbbed as the cool air hit the cleaned cut, and the demon had to fight the urge to try and lick the pain away like some common beast. It wasn't going to help ease the pain from the soap.

Skuld rose with a grunt, and as she did Mara sighed in relief. "Thank Nidhogg it's over." She muttered aloud. "This girl is going to kill me just trying to help me."

Yet it seemed Skuld was not finished with the demon yet, as just as quickly as the Norn had left she returned, this time with a familiar black case in hand. Most of what she said was lost on the demon, yet the girl's intentions were clear enough as soon as Skuld propped open the little container and withdrew a fresh needle and thread.

The color drained from Mara's face. "Oh hell no." She said,lurching away from Skuld as soon as the lass approached. "No. No no no no!" She cried, shaking her head wildly at the Norn, who stared at the demon with a startled, confused frown. "There is no way in the heavens or the hells that I'm going to allow some Godling who has no medical training to give me stitches. Just no! I'll give myself stitches before I let you prick me with a needle. Now drop it!"

Despite the fact that she'd been speaking in her native tongue, Mara was surprised to see Skuld do as ordered, a squeak parting her lips as both container and needle fell from her hands. The youth backpedaled, hands flying up to protect her face as if Mara was about to attack her, and Mara watched as the youth reached one of her hands into her sleeve on instinct, searching for something that was no longer there. Upon recalling the fact that Skuld was unarmed, a look of panic flashed across the youth's face, and the child emitted a desperate cry as she backed up against one of the prison walls.

Golden brows furrowed together in confusion, and the fanged woman frowned. _"What wrong?_" She demanded, more than a little disturbed at the sudden change in attitude from the little Norn.

Skuld flinched at the question, yet lowered her hands, watching Mara with wary brown eyes. "You keep...you keep snarling and growling at me. Like you're going to attack me." The dark-haired teen visibly swallowed before continuing. "It was the same way with you and those other demons. You guys were roaring and growling and hissing so much you woke me up. I thought they were going to kill you, Mara."

For a long time Mara stared at Skuld in bewilderment until Skuld started to fidget under the demon woman's gaze. Then the blond threw back her head and laughed, the sound ragged and harsh. Bemused, the younger girl dropped her hands to her side, wondering what had taken the demon over as Mara ran a hand through her hair. _"That is it?" _She asked, and at Skuld's nod the woman laughed harder.

"_That is not it."_ Mara corrected, shaking her head in amusement, the laughter slowly fading. _"No is I fighting with Efreet and Loa. Is talk."_ The woman rubbed her chin, humming in thought. Demon language was hard to explain, especially explaining it in another language. Half of it came down to pure body language, something a human would find more easy to relat to than a god. The other half was filled with words so thick with accent that to those who didn't know the language, it might as well have been growls and hisses they were hearing. And that wasn't even counting the different dialects found within Niflheim

"_It is..." _The woman groped for the right words. Finding none, the woman rose with a sigh, gesturing Skuld towards her. The child hesitantly approached, and Mara pointed at the Norn. _"God child."_ She said, before repeating the word in her own tongue. "Highkinling."

"What?" Skuld stared at Mara in confusion, and Mara repeated both words, this time slowly sounding out 'godling' for Skuld to better understand. Comprehension dawned in the child's eyes, and the youth carefully repeated the word. Coming from the Norn, it _did _sound like the growl of an angry beast, and Mara winced.

"Too much emphasis on the vowels at the end." The demon muttered with a frown. _"Again."_ She uttered, repeating the words once more, the first slowly to better hear the word beneath the 'growl', and a second time at a more regular pace.

Dark brows furrowed together in concentration, Skuld repeated the word once more, and this time the word came out perfectly. "Is that right?" The girl asked, and Mara nodded.

"_Again. Practice."_

Skuld repeated it once, twice, three times without error, and Mara stared. The demon purse her lips in thought before pointing to Keiichi. "_Human._" She said. "Leskin." This time the blond didn't sound the word out, instead gesturing for Skuld to speak.

The dark-haired youth did as bid, and again, Mara could hear no error in the pronunciation. The demon pointed at Skuld.

"_Highkinling."_

The demon pointed at Keiichi.

"_Leskin."_

Mara pointed at herself and said _"Fallkin."_

"_Fallkin." _By now Skuld's dark eyes were sparkling with merriment, and the girl grinned. _"Highkinling, Leskin, Fallkin."_ She said, pointing to each person respectably. "Good?"

"_Good." _Mara replied, stunned. There were Fey who dealt with the Niflheim on a daily basis and still couldn't master the language. They could understand it perfectly, yet in order to communicate with any demon not reliant on Nidhogg for a translation spell, those Fey still needed another demon to communicate their intentions. And yet here was a girl not even full grown speaking some of the more complicated words in Mara's native tongue without even a hint of a foreign accent. And she was treating it like a _game!_

"What else can you teach me?" Skuld asked, and Mara saw the start of a tell tale smirk creeping up the girl's face.

For a long moment, Mara simply stared at the youth, her mind abuzz with what this latest revelation could mean. Her armed flared up once more in pain, and with a grimace Mara broke the thought off. She pointed to where the small container holding the needle and thread had fallen. _"Grab. Come. Speak more as work."_

Catching the meaning behind the words, Skuld quickly did as ordered, sweeping the little container off the ground and offering it to Mara's expectant hands. Wordlessly, the demon took it before sinking down onto her rump with a sigh. Patting the ground with her freehand, Mara said, "sit."

"_Sit._" Skuld repeated, kneeling to rest at the demon's side and staring at Mara expectantly. Opening the little resin case once more, Mara withdrew a fresh needle and a spool of thread, lifting each one independently and repeating their names. After Skuld proved she could correctly pronounce each word, the demon went about feeding thread through the needle's eye and snapping off a long trail of string.

That done, the blond gestured Skuld closer to herself with a grunt, and when the girl was close enough, the woman lightly rested the hand holding the needle atop one of Skuld's own._ "Help me." _She said, gently guiding the hand up and onto her injured arm. "Hold it firmly." She said, lacking the proper words to convey her meaning and instead pressing Skuld's hand hard against her arm.

A look of apprehension was beginning to spread across the teen's face now, and Mara did her best to ignore it, feeling her own nerves churning her stomach uncomfortably. The demon beckoned for Skuld's other hand, and after a moment's hesitation the girl offered it, allowing Mara to guide the limb to the other side of the wound. "_No move._" The demon instructed, and Skuld stared up at her with wide brown eyes.

"Mara?" She asked cautiously. "What are you going to do?"

The demon's grin looked half-mad with fear in what little light illuminated the cell. She bobbed her head to where Keiichi slept, his breath ragged and uneven.

Skuld went white. "Mara, I don't think that's a good-what if I-you-"

"_Skuld."_

The Norn froze. It was the first time she could ever recall the demon ever speaking her name. "_I fix Mara_." The blond pressed her hand against her chest before pointing to the youth. "_Say words. I says back. Yes?_"

"No!" .

Skuld sounded terrified now, and Mara ignored her in favor of burying the needle into her torn flesh. "No!" The demon cried, her arm alight with a fresh wave of pain that sent her reeling. Taking a large gulp of breath, the woman tugged the needle out of the slice, the pull of the needle making her squirm horribly. Yet Skuld's grip remained strong and firm against her arm, and so Mara braced herself for another dive into the cut. _"Again!" _She roared.

"Stop!"

Once more the demon repeated the word in her own native tongue, the word coming out in a high keeing of pain as she pulled the needle from her flesh and drew the thread tight. _"Again!"_

And so it repeated, a child's desperate pleas for an end mixing with the snarling roars of the demon that repeated the pleas. Time was non-existent in the cell, and it could have been minutes that they exchanged words just as easily as it could have been hours.

How long it actually took was something Mara would never find out; the demon passed out not even half-way through the process of sewing herself up, the blond shouting 'moron' and Skuld calling her an idiot in the demon's tongue.

* * *

"_Stupid idiot!" _Skuld cried, the words coming out in roar that would have terrified the Skuld of an hour past. Said idiot didn't respond however, and Skuld had to brace herself against the demon as Mara sagged against her. The needle fell from the blond's lax hand, and it dangled listlessly from Mara's injured arm, waiting for someone to pick it up and finish its original purpose.

"_Moron. Idiot. Jerk_." Skuld hissed, pushing Mara off her and allowing the demon to collapse on the floor. "How stupid are you?" She demanded. "This was why I wanted to give you the stitches! It isn't like we have anything to dull the pain or anything!"

Mara didn't respond, and Skuld grit her teeth, a mixture of anxiety and anger coursing through her veins. "Okay big talker." The youth muttered to herself. "You can do this, right? Mara made you watch her do it on Keiichi, and again on herself before she feinted. It can't be that hard, right?" With two fingers, the youth grabbed the needle, mimicking the way she'd seen Mara holding it when stitching up Keiichi. Nervously, she licked her lips. "It's just like sewing up clothes Skuld. Just more...fleshy." An uncomfortable giggle escaped her lips. "I never was good at sewing clothes though."

Taking a shuddering breath, the teen plunged the needle into the wound once more, drawing it out and carefully tugging the string taunt. This time Mara was silent, and Skuld was unsure if she was relieved for the quiet of the cell or not. The only other audible noise was Keiichi's haggard breath and the occasional moan, and the youth quickly decided that she much preferred Mara's shouts. At least then she couldn't hear Keiichi suffering.

"_Hiilingrrr. Lisskreh. Khorbrar." _The Norn growled, distracting herself by reviewing the words Mara had managed to teach her before passing out. "_Obrahtr. Lissengrhr. Rrhesslr." _The youth bit her lip, pausing to review her work so far. She'd managed to complete two, leaving the stitching half-way finished. In comparison to Mara's small, neat lines, Skuld's were large and sloppy. Briefly the girl wondered if she was doing more harm than good before forcing the thought from her mind. Good or bad, Mara needed the stitches just as much as Keiichi.

"Child, what are you doing?"

Skuld jumped with a gasp, dropping the needle and twisting around to search for the voice, brown eyes wide and panicked. Yet the youth could see no one. Aside from Keiichi, the cell was empty. There was no one outside the cell she could see either, and the young Norn was doubtful she'd have understood a demon had one of their wardens approached. Not unless the demon was fluent in the language of the Heavens.

"Who said that?" Skuld hissed, dark eyes darting left and right and into the shadows, searching for hidden occupants. Yet the Norn's eyes were not designed to see in the dark as aptly as a demon's, or even a human's for that matter, and the youth could see nothing.

However Skuld was not deaf, and this time, rather than a voice, the teen heard a caw from above her head. Perturbed, the dark-haired youth looked up. From the wooden rafters, three birds stared down at her. All three looked like crows to her, yet Skuld could never recall a time in her life where she'd seen a white crow or a red crow.

The small murder observed her with gold eyes, blue eyes, and red eyes, before the red crow finally descended with a caw. Its brethren followed not a moment later, and the birds landed before the child. The scarlet bird tilted its head to one side, regarding Skuld with one deep blue eye. "I did." It cawed. "What is a child so young doing in one of our cells?" It hopped past the Norn and to Mara, pecking at the unconscious demon's leg. "Surely it can't be for siding with a demon."

"What?" Skuld stared at the crow with large eyes, wondering if the stress of her predicament was finally getting to her and that the murder of crows were hallucinations.

Instead another crow spoke. "Sister, did you hear?" The white one crowed. "She speaks the demon's tongue. Perhaps it is for that reason that she is locked up." The creature ruffled it's feathers, for a moment appearing twice as large as it actually was. "Is that it, Child?" It asked her, watching the youth with unnerving golden eyes. "Were you locked away as a traitor?"

"Don't call me a child." Skuld snapped automatically. "And I'm not a traitor. I was kidnapped by a bunch of demons. Me and Keiichi and Mara, who _you_," She lightly swatted the red crow away from the demon. "Keep pecking!"

The third crow approached, this one sprouting the more common black plumage. "So it is the demon who is the traitor?" It asked, it's head tipping to one side in curiosity. The creature's voice was strangely soft coming from a crow, and mixed with it's red eyes it was enough to catch Skuld off guard.

"No." Skuld replied with a frown. "At least, I don't think so." The youth bit her lip. "The demons who kidnapped me...I think they're part of a group trying to overthrow the Daimakaicho, but I'm not entirely sure. None of them have told me anything."

Something that sounded suspiciously like laughter escaped the white crow's beak. "A rebellion, you speak?" It cried. "Well that is news to us all, Child! Perhaps the war may yet work in our favor!"

"War?"

A caw from the red crow. "Yes, dear child. Have you not heard of the war between the Heavens and the Hells?" It asked. "The war the one who claims herself as Daimakaicho Hild started a decade ago?" The bird fluttered its wings. "Young you may be, but surely even a lass your age has been affected by the chaos and discord Daimakaicho Hild has risen throughout the nine realms."

"I'm...not too sure I follow..." Skuld said wearily. "What war? There hasn't been a war going on between Asgard and Niflheim in ages! Who are you guys?"

The black crow spoke up once more. "We are known collectively as the Morrigan. That is all you need to know of us, sweetling." The bird took flight, only to fly to Skuld's shoulder. The youth tried not to flinch as it landed so close to her face. "And your arrival is at a bad time, my dear. Regardless of what you may or may not know, the Daimakaicho is attacking this fort as we speak. We are defending it as best we can, however there is no guarantee that the warriors defending this place will live to see another day."

The white crow shuffled uneasily, hopping awkwardly to and fro. "The sister is right." It said, snapping at the air with its beak. "It has become well known to the warriors that whatever the Daimakaicho attacks directly does not stand very long. You must leave this place before she tears it down brick-by-brick."

Skuld bit her lip. "That's fine." She said slowly. "The Daimakaicho knows me. I don't think she'll hurt me. I'm too valuable for her to hurt." She pointed to the fanged woman at her side. "And Mara is one of her people. She won't kill one of her own." A moment of hesitation, and then Skuld asked, "Right?"

The red crow regarded Mara with first one eye, then the other. "I cannot say." It replied. "The only Mara I know of that the Daimakaicho holds of value is her Second, and that demon is no female." The crow turned it's attention to Skuld. "Why would the Leader of Demons hold a child such as you. in such high regard?" It asked. "Who are you to her?"

"Skuld." The Norn replied. "I'm second-class goddess Skuld, Norn of the Future." After a moment's hesitation she added, "Urd is my big sister."

"Skuld."

"Skuld?"

"Skuld!"

All three crows croaked her name eagerly, and the youth was momentarily taken aback at the sudden ruckus from the Morrigan. "Norn?" The white one cried. "There is no Norn Skuld! Only the Valkyrie! And you, my dear, are much too young to hold a warrior's title!"

By now Skuld knew something was wrong, and the teen stared at the crows in bafflement. "I never said I _was_ a Valkyrie!" She cried. "I'm the Norn of the Future!"

The trio of crows had grows indistinguishable in their caws, all three of them screaming at each other in their rough voices before the red one beat the air with its wings. Its kin fell silent, and once more the crow regarded Skuld. "Assuming we believe you." It croaked. "That still does not explain why a creature such as the Daimakaicho would hold you for value."

Skuld grit her teeth, growing more and more uncertain if she honestly wanted to speak further of her relation to Hild. "I'm Urd's sister." She repeated.

"So we've heard." The black crow cawed. "Who is this person to us?"

"The Daimakaicho's daughter."

Again, the crows broke into an uproar of caws and screams, and Skuld flinched and the black crow screamed in her ear, fighting the urge to shove it off her shoulder.

"So you are the Daimakaicho's daughter?" The red crow screamed.

"No!" Skuld shouted back. "Urd is my half-sister! We share the same father!"

"And who is your father, little Skuld, who claims the future as her domain?" The white crow cawed. "What deity would lay with a creature like the Daimakaicho?"

"The Almighty!" Skuld cried. "The Almighty is my father!"

Apparently she'd said the wrong thing, for rather than an uproar of caws and shrieks as the Norn had half-expected, instead the youth was greeted with silence. Three pairs of eyes watched her intently, and unsure of what else to do Skuld shoved the black crow off her shoulder.

The creature fluttered easily to the ground before hopping away from Skuld and towards the white crow. It in turn was joined by the red crow, and together the trio muttered to one another beneath their breath.

"She claims to be the Almighty's child."

"There is no Almighty."

"Than whom does she speak of? Marduk? Odin? Zeus? Shiva? Or the one who goes by both Allah and Yahweh? Perhaps one of the Tuatha De Danann?"

The red crow pulled away from its kin, once more regarding Skuld with its dark blue eyes. "Skuld." It asked. "Who is the Almighty?"

And to her horror, Skuld could only stare back helplessly. "I...I don't know."

More silence descended upon the murder of crows as the trio regarded each other. Skuld almost preferred the noise to the eerie silence. Then the white crow released a caw and rose into the air, the black one following a second later. The duo rose high in the air before disappearing into the rafters once more, leaving Skuld alone with the red crow.

"You have given us much to think on." The red crow told her. "And we cannot say all of what we discussed has put our nerves at ease." Then it too leaped into the air, red wings fluttering as it lifted itself up above Skuld's head. "Be wary of whom you speak to, Norn of the Future." It said. "The Daimakaicho's spies are everywhere, and they would make good fortune off what you told us. Stay safe, stay silent, and we shall see if it is not in our capability of releasing you. Beware the shadows." And with a parting caw it too was off, disappearing just as its brethren had and leaving Skuld alone with her thoughts, an injured demon, and a dying mortal.

And yet...

Deep within the halls that lined the prison cells, a beast stirred. The scent of something new caught it's notice, and black lips pulled back in a snarl-smile, revealing rows upon rows of silver razor-teeth. For centuries it had slept, disturbed only by the sudden arrival of demons in its domain. Yet though the demons smelled of prey-beasts, their scent was not close enough to the creatures it fed on to warrant its attention, and so it had drifted back into its rest. Now, however, the demons had returned baring with them a new scent. Three new scents, all of which peaked the beast's interest. One of prey. One of a lesser-kin to the demons. And one it knew.

It was enough to rouse the beast from its slumber, and a long, sleek body uncurled around itself as it rose to stand; first on two, then four, then six. It panted, tasting the air with a long gray tongue. Its standard prey had awakened as well, it could scent, and its stomach rumbled in distress as the familiar smell. The creature flexed it claws, long and sharp and black, against the floor, leaving deep furrows in its wake before sauntering off from its nest. It had been ages since it'd fed, and the temptation of a hunt left its heart pounding eagerly in its chest.

It was time to see what the lesser-demons had brought it in offering.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Back from a deployment and settling back into the groove back home. Add to the mix classes and a 'surprise' promotion I need to be studying for, and updates that were coming at a turtle's pace will have slowed to a snail's crawl. And for those of you who had difficulty following the conversation between Mara and Skuld, just remember, Italicized indicates they arn't speaking their native tongue._


	28. The Escape

Skuld fumbled with the strand of thread on Mara's arm, slowly working a knot into the thin string before drawing the excess taunt. One hand bracing the demon's arm, Skuld snapped the residual thread with a quick yank before leaning back to observe her work. The stitches had improved towards the end, though in comparison to Mara's, Skuld's work still looked shoddy at best. "At least it's over now." She muttered to herself, standing and moving to where the buckets rested beside Keiichi.

Observing the two containers, Skuld thrust her blood-encrusted fingers into the redder water, scrubbing at the flaky red with her nails until she could see no signs of red any longer. Then she grabbed the torn sleeve from where it rested in the soapy water and repeated the process. While no doctor, Skuld was no fool when it came to the dangers of another person's blood. She wasn't about to take any chances, be it with Keiichi or Mara.

Speaking of which...

Biting her lip, Skuld hesitantly approached the mortal, grimacing at the smell rising from his body. It was strangely pungent; a sickly-sweet smell that made Skuld's stomach roll and caused the obsidian-haired lass to gag and cover her nose. "How are you doing, Keiichi?" She asked, moving around his body and kneeling at his head. Keiichi didn't respond, the man's breath having gone from deep and ragged to small, soft pants.

Gingerly, the young Norn touched his head. It felt like there was a fire beneath his skin, the man was so hot. Behind her hand, Skuld frowned. "The fever's going to burn you up from the inside out." She whispered. "We need something to cool the flames before it leaves you as a husk."

"...Gumi...?" The man's voice was harsh and broken, his lips cracked and red with blood from broken lips. Keiichi's eyes fluttered weakly, and Skuld froze. The man said something in Japanese, yet without Yggdrasil Skuld was no more able to understand the man than she was a dog. Coughs wracked the man's body, and Skuld watched in horror and Keiichi spat out blood. When his coughing fit finally eased, the man curled into a tight ball of pain and misery beneath Mara's cloak, and slowly Skuld rose to her feet.

The youth's eyes were burning, and carelessly she swiped at the tears that had yet to fall. It wasn't fair! Sure Keiichi was a pervert, and even more of an idiot, but he'd done nothing to deserve this! "Stop being sick you big dummy!" She yelled at the man. "No one said you were allowed to catch a fever! No one said you could d-" Abruptly she cut herself off, refusing to finish the sentence. Instead she told him, "If you die, you'll make Belldandy cry, you jerk. And if you make her cry, I'll...I'll..." The youth's hands clenched into angry fists at her side. "I'll hunt you down!" She cried. "I'll hunt you down in Helheim or Yomi or Hades and I'll make you pay! Don't you dare make Belldandy cry, understand?"

Keiichi didn't respond, but by now Skuld was expecting that, and so instead she left him, finding more comfort in the unconscious Mara's presence than the sickly Keiichi.

"Highkinling."

Skuld froze, the hairs on the back of her neck rising in alarm at the foreign voice. Slowly, she turned towards the voice, finding one of her captors watching her from behind the cell bars. _Loa._ Skuld thought, recognizing the mane of dirty blond hair that framed his face. The man was sitting crouched outside the cell. Skuld wondered how long he'd been watching her.

Seeing that he'd gained her attention, the demon grunted, reaching into one of the pockets on the dirty uniform and withdrawing a slim vial from its folds. Still crouching, he dangled it above his head, and spoke one word. "_Medicine."_

The word was in her own native tongue, filled with so much of a growl that it took a moment for Skuld to understand it. The youth brightened immediately, yet past experience made her cautious. "For _Leskin_?" She asked, pointing to Keiichi and pleased to see the startled look that passed across the demon's face. Then the demon nodded and gestured for her to approach him.

Frowning, Skuld moved towards the man, wondering briefly why he wasn't trying to send her off to the wall as he had the other times. Yet the vial was small, and she reasoned it was probably easier for Loa to slip the vial to her through the bars rather than go about the process of her backing away while he undid the wards and locks on the cell gate.

The youth came to a halt in front of the gate leading out, before hesitantly extending her hand through the bars to receive the potion. With a smirk, however, Loa did not move, neither offering the girl the potion or holding it out of her reach. He hissed something to Skuld in the demon's tongue, and with a frown Skuld thrust her hand further out between the steel beams, wondering what the man was doing.

With an amused laugh, Loa leaned back just far enough out of the girl's reach, and with a growl that had nothing to do with a demon's tongue Skuld pressed herself against the bars, extending her entire arm out towards Loa. "Stop playing games and give me the potion!" She cried. "Keiichi's getting worse, and you're out there messing around, you big dummy!" The Norn's cheek was pressed against the metal bars, and they bit coldly into her flesh. She stared at Loa irritably with one eye, watching as the demon's smile grew wider.

This time, however, the man stayed still, holding the little vial just within reach of the teen's flailing arm. And just as her hand reached around the medicine, so too did Loa's free hand wrap around her wrist.

What came next happened so quickly Skuld could barely follow. Fast as a snake, the hand around her wrist jerked Skuld forward, pressing her body harder against the bars. And suddenly he was moving to the gate, his other hand reaching out and grabbing her shirt. He yanked it so hard Skuld heard something rip, and the man towered over her, leering down at her with a face that sent shiver racing down her spine.

The youth tried to pull back, yet the man had her arm fully imprisoned outside the gate, and instead she cried out when he yanked her back into the bars with a laugh. Her head collided with the metal hard enough for the Norn to see stars, and through it all she could make out Loa's leering face, wearing a sinister smile that seemed to make the man's eyes glow cruelly.

The teen screamed, and Loa's hand went to her throat, cutting the cry off before the wind had fully departed her lungs. His grip was bruising, and Skuld could hear her heart pounding in her ears as she struggled against his grip. Yet the demon was strong, and the most the child was able to do was force a mewling whine from her throat. The demon outside the bars brought his body closer to hers, and he muttered something incomprehensible in her ear. Then the hand holding her throat loosened, and the limb traveled down her body and to her chest.

Skuld screamed. She screamed louder and harder than she ever had before, than she'd ever thought possible.

And Urd could do nothing but watch from the sidelines.

Rage and dread filled her breast, and the woman fought against an invisible barrier to reach her sibling, a phantom hand reaching through both child and man in futility. Loa. She screamed. Loa, Loa, Loa!

Yet the demon had no more ears for Urd than did her sister, and though desperately she tried to tear the man from her sister, her hands would not touch him, and she was forced to watch trembling as the man drew himself up against the bars, moving closer to Skuld.

Then came the roar, a dark blur moving behind Skuld, and Urd opened her eyes.

The woman found herself panting, her heart roaring in her ears as she slowly regained her bearings. "Loa." She rasped, slowly picking herself as her spirit slid once more into her body. "Loa." Several feathers fell from her lap as the demon stood, and the bronze woman stared down at them blankly before recollection returned and Urd scooped them back up. "Loa."

Numbly, the silver-haired woman slid the feather earrings back into the holes in her ears before pausing to rub her face with both hands. "Loa." The hands curled to fists, and when they fell away and an angry snarl spread across the dark woman's features.

Yet just as quickly as it appeared in vanished, a small voice of reason rising in the back of Urd's mind. _Calm yourself. Return to where you are fully before you devote your anger to one who cannot be touched._ It advised. _You remember what the mutt said. You'll only hurt yourself if you act before you've fully returned to yourself. Look around you. Where are you? What were you doing? Why did you let yourself leave like that?_

It wasn't World of Elegance. World of Elegance was long gone by now. But it was enough to make the demon stop and think, and so Urd did as the voice asked, taking a moment to carefully observe her surroundings as more and more pieces of 'Urd' returned to its place of origin.

The demon was in the remains of what was once a forest. Bathed in shadow, the ex-goddess stood under one of the few living trees littered in a graveyard of dead ones. A short distance away was where the Goetia had set up their latest campsite, and Urd could see where Amon laid stretched out in the sun asleep. Beyond the wolf, the camp was empty of anything save the few supplies the Goetia had on them, leaving the camp grounds sparse and empty.

The demon couldn't see any other Goetia aside from Amon, and with a frown she rubbed her eyes. "I'm with the Goetia, not Skuld." Urd mumbled to herself. _Loa. _

"Does that mean you were able to find her, Bright Lady?"

The woman jumped, wheeling around to face the owner of the voice and catching site of a thick mane of blond hair. And before she even had time to stop herself, Urd pounced on Valu, one hand wrapping around the younger demon's throat and nailing him against the very tree she'd meditated under. A breathless squeak parted the youth's lips, and from where the demon had the boy pinned, a small, tiny wyvern tugged and shrieked and nipped at Urd's hand.

The bronze woman paid both no mind. "Loa." She said, her voice as cold as ice. Valu's eyes widened, and Urd's eyes narrowed. "You know him." She decided. "Tell me who he is. I want to know everything about him. Now."

The demon loosened her hold around the Goetia's neck just enough for him to speak. "Loa is a Slayer." He rasped. "An old officer that disappeared around the time Vikoka started acting up. There is not much beyond that. Now will you let me go? You're aggravating my dragons." For all the fact that Urd was near-choking him, Valu did an admirable job of remaining calm. The same could not be said for his smaller companion, however. The tiny wyvern wrapped around Urd's wrist with a shriek, and it bit the enraged demon hard. Yet Urd felt none of it. The metal band Catha had branded her with covered the small part of flesh the little lizard gnawed at.

With an irritated grunt the woman grabbed the creature with her free hand and tugged it off her wrist, tossing the squirming dragon behind her without a second thought. The demon's gaze never left Valu. "There's more to it then that though, isn't there?" Urd demanded. "I can smell it." She hissed.

Valu stared at Urd long and hard, yet the flicker of alarm that first set her on him was long since extinguished. And so the demon took a step closer to the Goetia, her hand pressing against his throat warningly once more as the bronze woman closed the distance between them. This close together, the silver-haired demon seemed to tower over the blond, and Valu seemed small and insignificant in the woman's hard gaze.

Valu looked away first, a sign of submission, and the grip on the young man's throat slackened once more. "Yes, I know him." The Goetia muttered. "He is well known within the Daimakaicho's militant branches, both for his love for blood and..." the man trailed off, and Urd growled threateningly. Blue eyes darted to violet only for a moment, and after a brief hesitation, Valu continued. "...and for his love of women. Especially the younger ones. He holds a particular passion for them."

The youth laughed then, and Urd frowned. "I cannot tell you the amount of times I was sent to play 'fetch' for that demon. Especially if word came of the latest victims for his passion. But the Powers-That-Be always thought it would be a wonderful way to discipline him, as I was so much younger than him. Perhaps it is no wonder he disappeared. Without the Hawkeyes watching his every move, Loa is free to do as he pleases. Perhaps Vikoka's standards are less than those of the Daimakaicho's." The young man smiled largely, revealing shiny white fangs. "I will be happy to see him. It has been a good, long while since last I buried Loa's face in the earth and felt his blood warm my hands."

Urd's frown deepened, and the woman released her hold on the Goetia, smoothly stepping away from the man. "Not if I find him first." She said quietly. "Loa is mine, Valu. Be sure you remember that."

Valu sent her a peculiar glance before inclining his head in agreement. "As you say, Bright Lady." He moved past her, kneeling at her back to scoop up the wyvern that slithered back to the Goetia and allowing it to dangle from his throat like a hideous necklace. Affectionately, the man scratched the creature's muzzle, before looking over his shoulder at Urd once more.

The woman's back was turned towards him, yet the Goetia was not blind to the stiff set of the demon's shoulders nor the way she clenched her hands tight enough to visibly shake. A cruel smirk wormed its way upon the youth's face. "One more thing before I depart, Bright Lady." He said, and Urd tilted her head just enough to acknowledge his speech. "Loa likes his girls young; very young. I've seen them as young as eight or nine years; none of them demons, however." Urd was still. As still as a statue and so filled with tension the Goetia could almost taste it in the air. "The Daimakaicho won't let Loa touch another demon-to touch a child is a fate worse than death in Niflheim-yet the Daimakaicho cares nothing for those who aren't of the demon-kin. I can't tell you how many times I was forced to clean up after that bloody git. Sometimes the pieces were so spread out it was easier to burn the room rather than attempt to clean it."

Urd went white as Skuld, scared and struggling, appeared in her mind's eye with Loa's leering face smiling down at her through the cell bars. A long, low hiss escaped the demon, and the woman ran her fingers through short-cropped hair. "...Pieces..." Urd muttered, before the ex-Norn slowly turned to regard the Goetia, an alien emotion coursing though her eyes. Then without warning the demon lunged at the Goetia, expression dark and face tight. Angry sparks of colorless magic danced across her body, and as the woman collided into the youth, the sparks arched dangerously onto Valu's body. A pained shout left the man's throat, and together Goetia and demon fell to the ground.

"What game are you playing, Valu?" Urd hissed, teeth bared in an angry snarl as the duo tussled on the ground. "You _dare_ tell me such things? Knowing full well I can do nothing to stop it?" The wyvern shrieked, snapping angrily at Urd's face. A growl in her throat, the woman spat a small burst of flame at the creature, sending the wyvern off Valu with a pained scream. The woman returned her attention back to Valu. "Because if it's a fight you want, you're on your way to getting it."

They rolled, and suddenly Urd found herself beneath the Goetia, Valu smiling down at her smugly. "Come now, Bright Lady, this is no way to treat one who serves you, is it?" The demon bucked beneath the Goetia, an angry snarl on her face as she fought to throw the younger man off her body. Yet Valu held her fast, and when Urd lashed out at him the blond retaliated with a snarl of his own, baring his teeth at the ex-goddess and snapping at her neck, her cheeks, her ears and nose.

Reluctantly Urd stayed her hand, forcing herself still at the proximity of Valu's teeth to her flesh. The man had almost cut off her hand once already, and she wasn't about to risk loosing any other part of herself to his dog-teeth. "Get off of me, Valu." She hissed, yet the man did nothing but pull back, looking down at the bronze woman with a tilt of his head.

"You need to hide your emotions better." He said cheerfully. "If you let your thoughts be known to your enemy, they will waste no time taking advantage of it. Especially if your opponent is a demon." The Goetia smirked. "You're better from the day before, but it still is not enough. See how easily you fell into my trap, Bright Lady? And how easy it was to overcome you afterward? Strong you may be, yet it is nothing if you cannot thing clearly."

Urd scowled, feeling her cheeks heat up in a blush. "Are you telling me everything you told me was a lie?" The woman bristled, feeling a new flame of anger rising in her chest. "Was that just another one of your stories then? Like how you claimed my hand needed to be amputated for everyone's safety?"

Valu chuckled but otherwise shook his head, "No, no. _That_ story was nothing but jest. And to see just how dedicated you were to saving your sibling." He smiled, bearing his teeth down at her. "You never know when you'll be forced to sacrifice something treasured for one so sought over. And so I sought to test just how far you were willing to go."

"And I take it Old Man Furcas was in on the joke as well?"

"Not in the slightest." Valu shook his head. "Had it not been for that mixed blood of yours, it would not have been a joke. It is only the fact that the brand no longer recognizes you as the Norn Urd that your hand was saved." The youth frowned. "And it is an unfortunate fact that what I told you of Loa is all true." The Goetia regarded her with one blue eye, and Urd began to struggle beneath him in protest once more. "Yet one such as you is impatient, Bright Lady, and did not give this one a chance to finish speaking before seeing an enemy in place of a friend."

"Well then you better finish speaking before I turn you into a roasted lizard!" Urd snapped.

Yet Valu only tittered in amusement, clicking his tongue as though the ex-goddess had done something foolish. "So many empty threats..." The Dragonrider sighed. "Until you have the skill to compliment your strength, such words are only talk. Pennies are worth more than your words right now, Bright Lady." An angry growl rose from Urd, and Valu chuckled. "However, we will work on that as time progresses."

The youth bore down on Urd's arms before rocking back onto his feet, surprising Urd as he released his grip on her. The blond moved away from her, and slowly Urd pushed herself up onto her elbows, watching the Goetia with suspicious violet eyes. Valu smiled earnestly at her. "You forget, Bright Lady, that your sister is not alone in that cell." He leaned over her. "Who else was in that cell, I ask you?"

"Keiichi." Urd answered immediately. "Keiichi and...Mara." Silver brows furrowed together. "What are you getting at, Valu? Keiichi is half-dead and Mara isn't a warrior. I've known her since we were kids and she's never shown an aptitude for the fighting classes."

The youth chuckled. "Since childhood, is that it, Bright Lady?" He shook his head. "Then the Mara you know is different from the cousin locked away with your sister." If possible, the blond's smile grew larger. "They call this one Dragonrider because I was born of an affair between the last great dragon and a demon. Yet they do not realize that dragons come in forms other than winged reptiles."

"I was raised under dragons, Bright Lady. Fierce dragons that hide within a woman's body. They are strong and terrifying and territorial, and they hate the knights who enter their dens looking for their treasure. When this one was younger, I was one of those treasures, and those dragons tore apart any who thought to steal me away. And though she was the youngest of those three dragons, that cousin of mine, that friend of yours, was the strongest and most selfish of the trio." The earth began to shake beneath Urd's body, and from behind Valu a great shadow loomed, engulfing both demon and Goetia in its shade; Valu's other dragons, merged at the collar and larger than three elephants upon each others backs. The two heads seemed to focus on the silver-haired demon, baring snake-teeth in a snarl.

"But now that dragon-cousin has no treasure to horde, for her treasure is grown and no longer cherished as it once was." Valu continued, ignoring the other pieces of his body. "Now that dragon finds herself in a new cave and with new treasure to horde for herself. And Nidhogg help any knight in a demon's armor that tries to steal it away."

Urd frowned. "But that doesn't make any sense." She protested. "If Mara's so much a 'dragon', why go through all the effort to hide it?" She asked. "In the years since her release from her seal, the Mara I've known is a fool and a klutz, incompetent at whatever task assigned to her and with predictable tactics. Even Keiichi, a mortal who has more of a reason than any to fear her, is unafraid of Mara."

Valu tilted his head to one side. "Than let me ask this of you, Bright Lady. What beast is least threatening: A dragon hording treasures as it establishes its territory on the Assiah? Or an awkward, harmless lizard that enjoys pestering you under the goals of a serpent?"

"The damned lizard."

"Then for whatever reason would this one's cousin risk sealment again to show how strong and terrifying she is?" He asked her. "Is it not better to play the role of a dead possum and wander the planes anonymously rather than draw attention to yourself with the proud roar of a lion? This one is kin to no fools, Bright Lady, despite what you may think. Ours is a tribe of professional deceivers, and Mara perhaps the greatest of them all, with thanks to you."

"Thanks to me?" Urd regarded the demon with a raised silver brow, softly picking herself up with a grunt. "Please, inform me, how did _I _contribute to Mara's profession of deception?"

The blond laughed. "You are who you are. A demon who became a god who became a demon." He stated, and Urd's brows furrowed together in confusion. "When one is well acquainted with the gods, they begin to emulate a deity's behavior. You are no different, are you not, Bright Lady of the Norns? Did you not cast aside your more demonic persona in order to better fit the mold of a god?"

Urd held her silence, and still laughing the demon continued. "And in casting off once persona for another, did you not begin to think like them? To act like them? To _judge_ like them? Yet still did you not seek out the company of demons when you believed no one was watching?"

The ex-Norn's expression darkened. "And just what would you know of anything like that, Valu?" She rumbled. "I've not seen hide nor hair of you up until mere days ago, and yet you speak as though you know so much of me?" The silver-haired demon took a step towards the man threateningly, and above her head the two heads of the dragon growled in warning.

"Please, let's not agitate my dragons further." Valu said innocently. "All I know of you is only what my cousin bothers to mention of you. Of how you'd bring with you a younger sibling whenever you met her. Of how shrewd and cautious you became whenever the cousin and the sister shared the same area. Of the threats and warnings made towards any hostile behavior towards the sibling. You told her not to act herself; to be more peaceful, as a god would be, rather than who, what she really is. And like a good dragon, she obeyed, for you were always the stronger of the two, and everyone knows that those who disobey the Daimakaicho are devoured by the serpent."

The blond fell silent, one of the great dragon heads from his other self lowering itself down. The head alone was bigger than Valu was tall, its largest fangs as long as the Goetia's arm. Yet none the less the youth leaned against it fearlessly, as though it were little more than a great and hideous pet. From the tree Urd had once meditated under, the third dragon appeared once more, all the tinier in comparison to it's larger kin, and with a chirp it launched itself from the tree trunk, gliding to Valu and its sibling. The Goetia stretched an arm out for the little wyvern to land on, and it screeched upon touching the blond's arm.

The tiny beast's tail wrapped tightly around Valu's arm, and using it like a life line, the creatures scurried up the arm and across Valu's shoulders, leaping onto the head of its kin with a shriek. There it seemed to merge with the large dragon head, and Urd watched disturbed as the little wyvern became little more than a tumor of flesh on the large dragon's head; one that moved with a will of its own, traveling up the colossal beast's neck and disappearing from sight. A growl from the avatar, followed by the sickening sound of grinding bone and ripping flesh, and from where once its tail rested the third and final dragon's head sprouted.

Urd watched it all in a disturbed silence. She disliked what Valu told of Mara. Was it true? Did Mara change her behavior because of her time as a god? _She's always done as I asked. _The demon mused. _Though there were times when I needed to persuade her, and those times weren't always painless. _

Ignorant of the thoughts running through the demon's head, Valu continued. "Of course, you can dress a demon up and make it talk nice, but that won't change the nature of the demon." He said with a grin. "If anything, I have you to thank for that cousin becoming the dragon who reigned over my siblings and I for all the years of childhood. Because you did not allow her to display her anger to you and your kin, that cousin took her frustration out on us. And any who threatened us." He shuddered. "That one has a temper like a sleeping volcano, waiting to erupt. Highly unpleasant, widely dangerous, but a truly glorious sight to see."

The Goetia's smile turned sadistic. "And those rebels of ours are right at the volcano's edge, ignoring the way the magma churns and the ground rumbles. All it takes is one wrong step, and that volcano will erupt and destroy everything in its path."

_Destroy everything..._The words seemed to echo in Urd's mind, and the demon grit her teeth. The bronze woman forced it into a smile. "All the more reason to head out, then." She said, keeping her voice light as she swallowed her concern. A hand went to one of the white feathers dangling from her ear, fingers gently grazing it and hearing the soft trickle of a stream echo in her mind. "I found Skuld this time. I know where Valu and his demons are hiding."

This time Valu's smile was earnest. "Wonderful!" He crowed. "See how quickly the Bright Lady learns? Less than a day ago you came to us asking for aid in finding your sister. And now with a little training the tides turn, and it is us relying on you to guide us to these rebels." The youth cackled; an eerie, unnatural sound that made the hair on the back of Urd's neck rise in alarm. "So tell us, Bright Lady, where is it the sister and the cousin are hidden away at?" With the ease of a monkey Valu climbed onto the head of his avatar, sitting between the dragon's slit-blue eyes.

From around her Urd could sense the others approach, a part of her wondering what had tapped the Goetias' interest. _They've been watching you. _A voice whispered in her mind, and Urd tensed. _For what other reason would they hide themselves from you?_ The other Goetia were appearing now, surrounding Valu and herself and watching them both in silent anticipation. _A test?_ She wondered. _Or are they trying to understand just who 'Urd' is?_

Whatever the reason, the small pack of demons held their peace, staring at Urd expectantly. The silence made the hair on her arms, her neck, to rise in alarm. She'd never had such a silent audience waiting on her before. _They're waiting on you Urd. They're waiting for your orders._ The voice said once more, and Urd felt a chill race down her spine despite the heat of the environment.

She steeled herself. Showing any amount of weakness would not help her with these men. And so the bronze woman focused her gaze on Valu, ignoring the dragon's growl and looking the Goetia dead in the eye.

"Purgatory." The silver-haired woman announced, voice clear and loud and reaching all present.

"We're going to Purgatory."

* * *

Deep within a prison cell, a demon was howling in pain.

There were two of them. Two blonds, both pressed hard against the bars of the cell. Loa was pinned, face buried into the steel bars and struggling wildly against Mara. The demon held both the man's arm's hostage, hands wrapped tightly around the opposing demon's biceps and his elbows pinned between Mara's side and elbows. His hands flailed desperately at her back, incapable of bending his arms and grasping anything to his advantage.

Mara's right foot was braced against the bars of the cell, and with a sharp pull Loa's howls became screams. The woman then went a step further, launching her left foot through the bars and onto Loa's chest, allowing the fanged demon to hang parallel to the ground. From there, Mara leaned back, and let gravity do the rest.

Skuld watched in all in horror, clutching the potion she'd taken from Loa tightly to her chest. Mara had torn her away from the man when the Norn had screamed, yet the youth found she couldn't stop trembling, and it wasn't just from Loa, either. The expression on Mara's face had been nothing less of murderous, held in such a deadly silence that Skuld was afraid to speak a word lest the demon direct her gaze at her.

The teen crawled away from where Mara had thrown her, seeking comfort in Keiichi and fighting the urge to curl into a ball, cover her ears, and cry. These weren't the demon's she was used to. Skuld was used to demons producing odd contracts and odder plots, ranging anywhere from octopi that acted as magical battery cells to ninja mice to magical tea pots. She wasn't used to demons physically hurting her or threatening her or holding such rage and hate in their eyes.

Where was Belldandy? Where was Urd? Why hadn't they rescued her yet? Her older sisters _always_ rescued her before things went so bad. It was a simple fact of life that Skuld knew from as far back as she could remember. Regardless of how bad things look, one of them, both of them, would always show up and turn things around for the better. Yet neither were there, and Skuld was alone with a demon.

Just a demon. Furiously trying to rip the arms off the one that touched her.

It sounded like Mara was succeeding, too.

The sound of shouts rising above Loa's screams added to the discord, and from around a corner Efreet appeared, two other demons in tow. The bald demon roared something at the duo, yet the only response he got was an animistic snarl from Mara and more screams from Loa. The _Jinn_ pointed at the two blonds with a hiss, and his two lackeys immediately went to work. The more muscular of the demons slipped his arms beneath Loa's armpits, trying hard to work the snagged man free of the angry prisoner and turning the whole affair into a horrid game of tug-of-war. The demon had strength. Mara had leverage.

And considering Mara _really _seemed to want to keep Loa's arms for herself, the demon was only helping her in achieving her new goal.

Yet Efreet and the other demon could not be forgotten, as the short demon urgently unlocked the cell gate. His minion rushed in before the _Jinn _had a chance to remove the key, and the demon; a tall, wirey man with hands large enough to cover Skuld's face, leaped on top of the fanged woman.

Skuld was almost certain she heard him shout 'Geronimo'.

The demon crashed down atop Mara's and Loa's arms, and the blond lost her grip on her opponent. Gravity sent them both crashing to the cell floor with a grunt and an enraged howl, and Mara frantically clawed her way out from beneath the tall man. On the other side of the cell, the burly demon who'd grabbed hold of Loa was sent crashing into the wall by his own momentum, Loa falling on top of him with a low groan.

Efreet paid the two of them no mind. Instead the demon raced into the cell to assist that tall man, for it seemed Mara had merely focused her rage from one demon to another. Despite her back to the ground, a disadvantage so obvious even Skuld could see it, the fanged woman was remarkably flexible. And vicious. Her body seemed to bend in ways that were to the point of unnatural, and Skuld was almost certain that if her arm twisted just a little more, if her legs kept bending that direction, or if she twisted her neck any more, the enraged blond would break something. Yet no part of her body snapped, and Mara used it to her advantage, twisting and turning and escaping the man's grasp to claw at his eyes, to bite at the inside of his elbows, his cheeks, and to bash at his inner thighs.

Quickly, too quickly it seemed, there was blood, and the man was grunting in pain, trying to escape fangs and claws while holding the red-eyed woman down at the same time. It was like watching a mortal's attempt to hold his own against an angry tiger.

And then Efreet was at the demon's side, assisting the man as best he could despite the wards in the cell, and suddenly the door to the cell was unguarded. The gate hung open and free, the key still in its lock, and Skuld stared at it greedily. The youth was frozen though, as a pained howl from Mara drew her attention back to the warring trio. She looked over just in time to see the fanged woman squirm out of the tall man's hold and lash out at Efreet's knee. A hand twisted around the joint, and the _Jinn_ released a howl of his own, falling to the ground and clutching the injury as Mara withdrew, fingers black with blood and tissue.

_I have to help her. I can't just let Mara face these guys alone. _And yet...with a grimace her gaze once more went to the gate, wide and silent and inviting. If she could get out, she might be able to find some equipment to make some bombs. After the Angel Biter, she still didn't trust her magic, but if she could make some bombs while hiding...The youth rubbed the potion in her hands, and if she listened carefully, she could hear Keiichi's ragged breathing behind her. It would mean she'd be leaving them behind though. Would that be okay? What would Belldandy do?

For a brief and terrible moment, Skuld's eyes darted back to the confrontation beside the gate, and in that moment, a pair of maddening red eyes met black.

Mara uttered one word.

And feeling her heart pounding in her ears, Skuld obeyed. Trembling, she placed the potion she'd taken from Loa on the ground near Keiichi, hoping Mara would see it. Then she picked herself up, took a deep breath, and ran straight at the combating duo. She cared not where she stepped, and Efreet was soft and squishy beneath her feet and his screams unnerving. Skuld tuned it out. She had to do this. This one thing.

She kicked the tall, wirey demon in between the legs with all the strength her body possessed, then turned and sprinted for the gate. By the time the demon had keeled over and crumbled into a shriveling ball of pain and misery-flavored jello, the gate was already closed and locked, the key being pocketed by the Norn of the Future even as Mara picked herself up. The demon watched with dumbfounded red eyes as the youth raced down the opposite path the demons had come from and vanished from sight.

Slowly, a smile broke out on the demon's face, an earnest, happy smile made all the more terrifying by the blood that covered her face. "She really is just like her sister, isn't she?" She asked no one in particular, and likewise, no one responded. And so instead she laughed. She laughed and laughed and laughed. A witch's cackle. A demon's cackle.

Slowly it died down, and Mara's heated eyes shifted to observe her victims. The demon Skuld had kicked in the gonads was down for the count, the fanged woman reasoned. With a kick with so much force, Mara would be surprised if the man would be capable of producing children in the future. That left Efreet to deal with, and with the wards in the cell, a soft demon like him was nothing she couldn't handle. On the other side of the bars, Big N' Burly was shoving Loa's dead weight off his body, his attention focused on the direction Skuld had run off in.

With a grunt he finally got the demon off him, and Loa screamed as his arms impacted the ground. Mara had managed to dislocate one, if not both, of his arms, and until someone popped them back into place, he wasn't going to be much help in the hunt for a little godling.

"Hey!" Mara snapped as Big N' Burly rose to his feet. He looked at her, a snarl on his face, and Mara smiled. With an easy swoop she grabbed Efreet by the collar of his shirt, lifting him up with one hand and smashing him against the cell bars. Her smile turned feral, and the demon outside the cell froze as a pained squawk parted the _Jinn's_ lips. "Prey." She purred, and an almost hungry glint entered her eyes.

The man's eyes widened. "Son of a bitch." He whispered.

The demon threw himself at the gate, tugging at steel that did not bend and unleashing magic that dissipated against a demon's wards. Mara laughed. Efreet screamed. And somewhere far away, Mara hoped, far, far away, a little Norn-child was running still.

_I've bought you as much time as I can. _Mara thought behind a cruel smile._ Don't let me down._

* * *

Skuld ran hard and fast. The key was a foreign weight in her pocket that seemed to tug and pull in all the wrong places, and it felt almost as it it was telling her to stop. She ignored it though, tuned it out to the best of her abilities, and instead listened with all her might. The raven-haired youth was too frightened to look back for fear of seeing her pursuers at her back, and so instead she listened for their calls, for the pounding of boots encroaching behind her.

Yet she heard nothing. Nothing but the sound of her own feet slapping the stone and her labored breaths as she pushed herself onwards. Her heart drummed out a steady beat in her ears, yet it wasn't until she saw an open room that she slowed her pace.

A quick look behind her showed nothing of pursuers, and so taking a risk the youth ducked inside. A quick scan of the room showed what looked to be little more than an equipment closet. A table stood in the center of the room, chairs shoved up against it, and there were several old, wooden crates stacked up in a corner. The side walls were lined with shelves holding odd pieces of equipment ranging anywhere from paper to books to lanterns and vials. Miscellaneous furniture was stacked on top of each other in another corner, and an old sheet covered what looked to be several more crates that were shoved up against the back wall.

Biting her lip, the youth trotted over to the sheet-draped crates. It was hard to see how many there were without moving the cloth, and judging by the amount of dust that was on the sheet, Skuld wasn't about to risk moving it. Instead she looked around it, examining the pile and discovering several crates the sheet failed to cover. Dark brows furrowed together, and with a quick glance at the door, Skuld gave one of the boxes an experimental tug. It groaned as it slowly moved towards her, and the youth's face lit up in a delighted grin.

Carefully, she inched the box out, moving it as far as she dared before the ones on top of it would tilt off balance. The youth then did the same for a second, then a third, continuing until there was a sizable gap in-between the crates for her to crawl into. After another look at the door still revealed no signs of angry demons, the dark-eyed Norn quickly ducked into the little cubbyhole before carefully drawing the containers back in front of the entrance.

Her 'door' effectively concealing her from sight, Skuld fell back on her side with a relieved sigh. There was enough room in for her to crouch and still move, and just enough for her to lie down in. Thankfully she wasn't claustrophobic. On the contrary, she was actually more at home in large, enclosed spaces than she was out in the open. Skuld had always been good at building things, and those times often left her in small and cramped areas in regards to her inventions. But that was fine, for those areas were stiff and strong and would not break, as they were by her own design and it was better to be shielded from the elements than being exposed in the open.

It was also one of the reasons why she was the master at hide-and-seek. When Skuld hid, no one, not even _Belldandy_, could find her. _And that's all this is, too._ She thought to herself. _It's just another game of hide-and-seek. And just like with Belldandy and Urd, all you have to do is move from one hiding place to the next until they give up._ The thought brought her comfort, meager though it was, and Skuld allowed a small smile to rise on her face.

"I'll get through this." She whispered. "I'll get through this and get Mara and Keiichi out of there." Her hand went to the key in her pocket. It was cool and rough in her hands, yet it's weight gave her hope, for if she had the key, she had a chance of freeing the others. "Mara has the potion too. She can give it to Keiichi and then Keiichi will get better and then all three of us will escape. Everything is going to work out."

There was nothing but silence for a long time after that. Skuld must have drifted off after making herself comfortable in her makeshift fort, for the sound of voices woke her with a start. Immediately the Norn's hands flew to her mouth, muffling any sound before it could slip from her mouth.

There were three-no, four, four demons in the room at least. They all sounded angry, which wasn't saying much coming from a language devoted to snarls and hisses and roars. It the demons were angry, however, Skuld was at a loss as to what their anger was directed towards. Her most likely. Maybe Mara and the damage she'd done to those other demons. Maybe something else entirely. Skuld didn't have the needed vocabulary to understand any of them. Whatever she could understand was 'god' or 'demon', both of which were too vague for her to even guess at.

Then came a great crash, and Skuld flinched, wondering what was going on. Another crash, and the voices began to move around the room. Skuld's heart pitched in speed. Crap, they were searching the room for her! Another crash sounded like a stack of crates falling down, followed by what she guessed was the pile of furniture piled on top each other. The youth flinched, fear leaving her mute as she crawled onto her knees. If they shoved in any of the crates here, her hiding place might collapse on her. If that happened she'd be little more than a sitting duck for them, or worse.

Grimacing, the raven-haired Norn pressed her back against the wall, bracing it there as she pressed one arm against one of the top crates, the other against its neighbor. She crouched there, trembling, and waited for the sudden pressure of one of a demon trying to push one of the boxes inwards.

A voice came from her right, and quickly Skuld shifted her arm to the adjoining box. Another rose right in front of her, and the youth moved her left arm from one box to another, unsure which container the demon would push. Then one of the boxes on her left suddenly moved towards her, and immediately the child shifted to stop it, biting back a panicked scream as the movement came to a halt upon meeting resistance. _Please no more. Go away, please no more._ She prayed, straining her ears for any hint of what the demons might do next.

All around her now it seemed, the voices rose and fell in growls and hisses, and Skuld's hands moved with a will of their own, pressing against one crate to another, uncertain where of what would happen next. _There are sharks in the water, and I'm bleeding._ She thought. _They've got my scent._

One of the crates moved, and desperately she placed her hands against it, all but leaning against the wood. The box came to a halt, and then the pressure was gone and Skuld was moving the crate away from her. _Shit._ The youth froze, eyes wide and wondering if her pursuers noticed. _Go away, damn you. Juts go away! Disappear! I'm not here!_

The demons were talking softly to each other now. _They know I'm here._ Suddenly the talking stopped, and Skuld froze. The silence was deafening, with only the quick beat of her heart in her ears to assure the girl she could still hear. _What are they planning?_

It happened too quickly for her to react. Suddenly all the crates were moving towards her, compressing what little space Skuld had and forcing her against the wall. A sharp cry escaped her lips at the boxes to her left and to her right were thrust painfully against her, and suddenly the air filled with howls and shrieks and laughter.

"No!" Skuld screamed, falling to her knees and covering her head with her hands. "Stop! Go away! _Go away, _damn it!" An unbridled wave of energy swept through the Norn's body, spreading out and pushing back against the crates, propelling them away from the girl's body. More shouts and hollers, this time surprised and alarmed.

Then nothing but silence.

Shaking, Skuld opened her eyes. The crates laid scattered on the floor, the sheet that once covered them thrown some distance towards the center of the room. The table that was once in its center was overturned, and the shelves were knocked over, scattering their contents to the ground. Crates were everywhere, some broken open and spilling their contents.

And Skuld was alone.

There was no sign of anyone, be they demon or man or deity, to show they were once present. Nothing but the mess they'd left searching for her. "Wh-what happened?" Skuld asked aloud, slowly lowering her hands from her head and rising to her feet. "Where did...where did they go?"

"They went away. Just like you wanted."

Skuld tensed, and immediately her eyes went to the rafters, meeting three pairs of eyes returning her gaze. "Skuld, Norn of the Future, it is good to see you free of the cell." The Red Crow cawed, and the black one swooped down to land on her shoulder. Skuld flinched. "We worried for your safety when we returned to fine you gone." the Black Crow cawed, running its beak through her hair affectionately. "The Daimakaicho is bound to no cell and freely roams the corridors now. She brought her demons with her as well."

the White Crow glided down as well, coming to land on one of the crates. It tipped its head to one side, looking up at her with unnerving gold eyes. "We followed some of them to this room." It told her. "It seems they were tracking you. Yet you managed to vanquish them. We commend you on such a feat."

Skuld stared at the crow gape-mouthed. "I, I what?" Vanquish? Her?

The Red Crow cawed, gaining the attention of all present. "We must leave however, before more come. Demons we can handle, yet such power is weak against the Daimakaicho, even when paired with our own strength. It is in your best interest to depart this place before she finds you. The Daimakaicho is not kind to those she captures."

Skuld grimaced. The Morrigan's words weren't making any more sense now than they were in the cell. "I can't." she protested. "My friends are still locked up in that cell. I can't just leave them here." She hesitated. "I...I won't let the de-Daimakaicho kill them. Keiichi can't even defend himself!"

The White Crow clicked its beak in disapproval. "The demon and the mortal?" It asked. "Surely, if what you say is true the Daimakaicho won't kill one of her own, correct?"

Skuld grit her teeth. "But that doesn't mean the same for Keiichi!" She snapped. "He's _dying_! I'm not going to let him rot away in a cell!"

"What is this 'Keiichi' mortal to you, Little One?" The Black Crow asked gently, and Skuld fought the urge to shove it off her shoulder.

"He's...he's..." Almighty, she couldn't believe she was saying this. "...He's my brother-in-law...Keiichi is my brother-in-law. The consort of the Norn of the Present, my older sister Belldandy!"

Above her head, the Red Crow puffed it's feathers up dramatically. "A mortal consort of a god, is that right now?" It asked. "Long has it been since any deity took a human as their lover. And a goddess no less. Such a thing is no meager feat."

The Morrigan looked to one another in silence, seeming to share some silent message with each other. Finally the White Crow spoke once more. "You will need a plan."

Skuld dug into her pants, grabbing the key and showing it to them. "I already do." She said. "But...I'll welcome any help I can get." The hand holding the key curled into a tight fist. "I...I don't want to do this alone."

The crows looked at each other once more, and this time the Black Crow spoke. "You are a courageous child, to take on such a task by yourself." It said, running its beak through Skuld's hair comfortingly. "Perhaps you are more a Valkyrie than we initially thought."

"We shall aid you as best we can." The Red Crow said. "Yet only under the condition that you and your own leave this place once free. The Daimakaicho is inside our walls now, and already there have been mass casualties within our ranks. It would pain us to see innocent bystanders killed."

Skuld nodded, hiding the unease that twisted her stomach into knots as best she could. "Then we should go." She said. "The sooner we free the others the better."

The Black Crow took flight from the raven-haired youth's shoulder, and taking a deep breath Skuld approached the door. A quick glance right, a quick glance left, and the girl was out. High above her head a black crow flew, following the flight of the red crow before it while a white crow flew several feet behind them all.

And with a child god and the war crows gone...

From the room that once sheltered an escaped prisoner, another creature emerged. It's nostrils flared as it caught scent of prey, different from before, achingly familiar and equally as alien. The beast bared its teeth, and a low rumble rose from deep within its throats.

Soon.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Currently obsessed with Skyrim, Dragon's Dogma, and schoolwork. Anyways, expect a lot of focus on our prisoners in the upcoming chapters. It's time for three vastly different characters to start bonding. Hope you enjoyed._


	29. Lady Fortuna is a Fickle Bi

In the remains of a battlefield that was once a shrine, a great light surged forth.

It arose from an area void of the many corpses and remains that littered the ground and the blood that stained the earth black. For to have the light of the gate touch any of it was considered impure, and those who wished to descend from the heavens could not take their first steps on such foul land.

Even if they were the Choosers of the Slain.

From her vantage point on the roof of the shrine; a section that had yet to fall victim to the various holes that marred its surface, Lind observed the fading light. The warrior watched in silence, thoughts jumbled and confused and worrisome. Too many questions. Too many questions with no answers and no way to find them. And Lind was of the warrior sect, not the support sect. She wasn't one of the intelligence Valkyries locked away and forming theories on an enemies actions.

She was a soldier.

It wasn't Lind's job to think of why a deity would shift her allegiance to the demon-kin. It wasn't Lind's job to wonder at the wisdom of a goddess sacrificing herself for the sake of an enemy. It wasn't Lind's job to question the revival of a fallen comrade.

It was her job to fight. It was her job to kill.

And while normally Lind had no problem with her job, there were times-very small, insignificant times in her life like the present-where Lind really hated her job.

Not for the first time in her life, Lind wondered if she'd chosen the right job. Yes, she was destined to be a Valkyrie, as were all her Sisters, yet even within _that_ field, they were given some options on what they wanted to do. _If it weren't for the fact that I honestly enjoy fighting, I doubt I'd be here right now._ Lind thought, watching as a group of six emerged from the dying light. _I think too much. That's the problem._

She thought too much. That was what Ol' Macha told her once as a Fledgling. It was what caused both Macha and Badb Catha to yell at her whenever they were preforming drills, for Lind grew so focused on the mindless acts of listening to sudden instructions that her response time was dulled. Her younger self was so busy thinking of turning that her body wasn't given the opportunity to reflexively respond.

"Think if you wish, but think of other things. Don't think about the orders being shouted or the proper response. That is what your body is for and that is what discipline is for. Let your mind drift to other things instead." the Red Crow had told her, and afterwords Lind discovered she didn't mind drill _quite_ as much as she used to.

Because the truth of the matter was that Lind liked to think. She enjoyed dwelling on matters such as demons and gods and the mad mortals on either side. She enjoyed thinking of how different scenarios would play out or how she could potentially react to certain scenarios.

Below her, one of the new Valkyries haled her. "Maverick!" Hrist, a warrior with hair the color of dark storm clouds and and matching aggressive blue eyes, hailed her, and Lind returned it with a hand raised in acknowledgment.

Maverick...another nickname for her solo nature. Lone Wolf, Cat, the nicknames were endless. Lind enjoyed being alone. It gave her an opportunity to think and meditate. It gave Lind a chance to find peace. And where at first Lind once hated the many titles dubbed to her by her comrades, after the revelation of a new angel that held a liking for using similar titles, Lind found that, much like drill, she didn't mind the nicknames so much anymore.

Mindful of her steps, Lind leaped from the rooftop, landing easily in front of the relief party. Hrist took a step towards her, and the Valkyrie extended her arm in greeting. Lind grasped the shorter Valkyrie's forearm with a small half-smile, nodding to the others who stood behind their leader. "It's good to see you." The icy-haired woman said. "Things have been...difficult here on the Assiah."

Hrist nodded, a large smile on her face that belied the shadows that darkened her eyes. "So we've heard." She released Lind's arm. "How is Eir? Have there been any more incidents? What of the Norns?"

What little smile there was on Lind's face faded into nonexistence. "There's been nothing else from her." Lind ignored the raised brow on Hrist's face. "The Norns are not doing well."

"Oh?"

Lind frowned. "I'm worried." She confessed, turning away from the Valkyrie and towards the shrine, a silent signal for the others to follow. Hrist moved to walk at her side, and the other lesser Valkyrie's, some only just past the rank of Fledgeling, fell in behind them both. "Belldandy has been unusually silent since her sister, Skuld, and the mortal, Keiichi Morisato, were kidnapped by a band of demons. She is haunted it seems, for I've heard screams emanating from her room and claims of nightmares when I or Badb Catha investigate. She does not eat nor drink, at least not in the presence of Valkyries, and it seems her condition is worsening from her initial poisoning."

The warrior shook her head. "It seemed she'd grown stronger after Urd fed her that potion, yet now..." Lind trailed off.

Hrist shook her head. "Poor lass." She murmured. "From what you're describing, it sounds like the woman is depressed."

Lind stopped, looking down at the shorter woman in surprise. "Depressed?" She parroted, and Hrist nodded.

The storm-haired woman scowled. "If that's the case, it's no wonder that she's growing ill. A sister accused of Goetia Craft, the other kidnapped by demons along with her lover, and she herself unable to do anything." Hrist shook her head. "The poor girl must be sick with worry, too sick to hold down food almost certainly. And with her recovering from that poisoning Badb Catha mentioned, too..." The woman grimaced. "Well, a potion can only do so much, after all."

The Valkyrie shook her head regretfully. "It'd probably be a good idea to take her back with you when you return, Lind. Get Belldandy looked over by one of the healers or doctors and then send her off to a relative or something." The woman began walking once more, and Lind found herself trailing after her as well.

Hrist ran a hand through her hair. "Enough about Belldandy though. Talking about her is making _me_ depressed, and I can't stand feeling sad." The warrior looked at Lind from the corner of one eye. "What of her sister, Urd? Any troubles from her?"

Lind shook her head. "In regards to behavior, Urd has been almost a role model for prisoners everywhere." The light-haired warrior scowled. "Yet..." Lind shook her head. "She's gone rouge, Hrist. Her sigels...one of those Goetia must have convinced her to turn, for she made one final escape attempt with a doppelganger wearing sigels as red as blood."

"Yet you caught her before she could escape?"

Lind shook her head. "No, no she handed herself over to us without a fight. Something happened. Something involving Eir and Herja and the doppelganger, and Urd claimed she wouldn't side with the killer of the Valkyrie she'd tried so hard to save." Her frowned deepened. "She spends every waking moment with Belldandy now, and I can only hope she is trying to snap the girl out of this theorized depression you mentioned. Yet her sigels remain the red of a demon, and it's hard to prosecute a demon for using demon magic. Even when that demon was a god when that magic was used."

Hrist looked up at her in surprise. "This was neglected in the report." She said. "Why was it left out?"

Lind shrugged uncomfortably. "Much has happened since that last report. Or have you forgotten the time difference here?"

"Ah."

"Badb Catha will update you on what has happened since that last report." The warrior nodded to what was once a front door. The tall woman in question rested against the inner wall, bathed in shadow by a section of the roof that had yet to fall. "There is much she needs to discuss with you anyways, and I was tasked prior to your arrival with preparing Urd for departure."

The Mad Crow stepped out of the shadows, gesturing the flock of Valkyries towards her. Lind nodded to Hrist, and departed the group, passing Badb Catha silently and disappearing into the shrine.

* * *

Gamori leaned back in her chair, watching Belldandy with half-lidded eyes. The goddess in question rested on top her futon, back pressed against the wall where she pathetically hugged her legs. Her hair was a mess and the black spots beneath bloodshot blue eyes gave the woman an almost ghoulish appearance. The goddess looked pale and sickly; moreso since the departure of Keiichi and her siblings. In fact, if not for the blue sigels that marked her as a first class goddess, Belldandy would have been unrecognizable from the woman of three days ago.

The demon pushed the chair back onto its hind legs, arms crossed and rocking the chair back and forth with one leg as she observed the goddess. The doppelganger watched as Belldandy rested her chin on her arms. Exhausted eyes began to droop and breath began to slow, and for a brief moment it looked as though the goddess had fallen asleep. And then in the next second the brunette's eyes snapped open once more, a look of tantalizing panic and delicious fear swimming in pools of cerulean.

Beautiful.

A grin worked its way on Gamori's face, spreading into a Cheshire's smile. "Are you _sure_ you don't want a sleeping potion, Belldandy?" The demon asked once more. "I promise you, the potion will hold no toxins or poisons that would harm you in any way, shape, or form." The smile turned sickeningly sweet. "After all, it would do no good to upset the future Daimakaicho with a dead sister."

Belldandy looked at where Gamori sat with one bloodshot eye. Her head had been nodding until Gamori spoke and now the Norn's gaze was flat and tired. "I've told you before, Urd." She snapped, rubbing her face with both hands. "It is not what is in your potions that I fear nor sleep itself. I fear my dreams."

_So she ignores the jibe at her elder sister. _The demon held her hands up as though to ward away a blow. "Now, now. I was only offering to help, Little Miss Cranky Pants." Gamori cooed. "No reason to get upset with me."

Yes. She feared her dreams. Gamori had grown aware of that at least. For in her dreams, if Belldandy was to be believed, the Norn left her body and was taken somewhere else.

Belldandy dreamed of conversations with dead demons and walking on worlds made of fallen, deceased gods. In her dreams she chased a younger sister running scared through a demon's nest while being hunted by an unknown monster and tried and failed to comfort an older sister filled with a rage so heated it burned. And then there were the dreams of Keiichi...

Of pain.

Of fire.

Of faces familiar and alien, warping into monstrosities that made him scream with a mute voice, that made her scream in her sleep.

And all the time haunted by the same stench of death that clung so heavily to the dead demon lord Kingu.

The goddess shuddered reflexively, as though the images were coming back to haunt her, and lightly the Norn slapped her cheeks, hoping to rile herself from the threatening phantoms that danced on the edge of her vision. It did nothing to help, and Gamori shook her head.

"You need sleep. You know it as much as I, and if your dreams are troubling you so much, than let me make a potion that will put you in a deep enough sleep that you will no longer dream." The fake Urd offered. "I assure you, I have enough experience with potions to know what ingredients will and will not harm you."

Yet Belldandy shook her head, offering Gamori a small smile. "I thank you for your offers and concern, Urd, yet I dare not take any more potions." The brunette's expression grew grave. "For I fear that even with so strong a potion flowing through me, something will come to whisk away my spirit once more." In a softer voice she whispered, "And I fear I may not be able to return to my body if that is the case."

Gamori chose not to comment, instead giving the Norn an almost pleased look.

She was still a demon. And sister to the future Daimakaicho or not, Belldandy was still a goddess. The Goetia would not deny that even with her offers to ease whatever ailments haunted the Norn, Gamori was enjoying Belldandy's suffering.

What was even more enjoyable was the fact that Belldandy knew it, too.

There was a soft knock on the door, and two pairs of eyes shifted to watch as the wood slid open and Herja slipped inside. The woman's face was a mask of stone, lips pursed and tight on her face with eyes filled with tension. "'Ey, we got problems, Sistahs. De relief is 'ere. An' dey wan to take de both of jou wit dey Crow home."

Gamori frowned, casting a glance towards Belldandy and finding much the same expression on the Norn's face. "Why?" The goddess asked, slowly, agonizingly so, creeping off the futon and rising to stand. The woman leaned heavily against the wall. "We cannot leave." She rasped. "Not until the others return." Her gaze moved to Gamori. "They might find out that this Urd is not their Urd if we are forced to the heavens."

Herja shrugged uncomfortably. "Ja, but dey need to get Urd to da heavens under lock n' key. An dey tink jou would do beddar wit someone watchin jou." She explained, running a hand through her hair anxiously. "An I don wanna know what dey got planned for _me_."

Gamori rose from her chair. "We can't stay here any longer, then." She muttered. "The jig will be up if we go to the Yetzirah and I'll sooner kill myself than run the risk of being used to create another _Wendigo _for the Mad Crow and her crazy murder." The demon was clutching her hands tight enough to make her skin burn, and Gamori looked at them, unsurprised to see the scabs on her hands cracked and bleeding once more.

Staring at the blood, the demon hesitantly licked at it, recalling words from a newly-turned demon who held too much knowledge of the fallen for one once so divine. "We're going to Niflheim." The Goetia decided, watching as new scabs formed atop of old cracks, pain fading to nonexistence. "It's the only option we have."

She looked to her companions. To Belldandy, who watched in silence, body wavering gently against the wall she leaned so heavily against and with one hand grasping desperately at one of the shelves. To Herja, who claimed to be an ally dwelling within the body of a _Wendigo_. "The Assiah will hold no sanctuary for us here. Not with you," She looked at Belldandy, "in your current state. You'd only slow us down."

Belldandy frowned but nodded in understanding. "Agreed." She said. "I'm sure Hild will be more than willing to accommodate my visit, especially after the events that led to my last visit to Niflheim."

Gamori stared at the woman with a raised silver brow. _And I'll bet my next pay you'll bring that up to any demon that tries to give you trouble too._ She thought. _No demon with common sense is going to harass the first-class goddess who helped return the Daimakaicho to her throne._

"Great!" Herja chirped. "So den how jou gonna get past de Valkyries?" She asked. "'Cause dere be a lot of 'em 'ere now, an it'll be hard ta get past 'em witout a portal 'ere in dis room, ja?"

"Shit." The Goetia grimaced. She hadn't thought about that. Marller had set up portals all throughout the shrine, and while the Valkyries hadn't removed them none of those portals were in Belldandy's room. Urd's room had one; however, it'd look too suspicious for all three of them to move there for no good reason. _And that's just for exiting the shrine to a safer location._ The demon thought grimly. _That's not counting the actual spell required to open a portal to Niflheim._

For that she'd need solid earth beneath her feet. Since Urd was probably long gone with the rest of the Assiah-side Goetia, there was a heavy lack of demons in the area who could open a portal in the conventional way. Instead she'd have to open an emergency portal back home, which would require a vast amount of spiritual energy from the earth itself. Even if they did manage to get out of the shrine and someplace remote, they'd still need a way to fend off the Valkyries and Nidhogg knew what else that might take interest in the sudden surge of energy.

_We'll just have to hope they're far enough away that no one will have time to react to the portal opening._ The doppelganger thought. _It's relatively fast once it gets going, but until then we'll be sitting ducks._

The silence in the room was deafening until Herja spoke once more. "Guess not." She muttered with a shrug. "Den it can't be 'elped. We gonna 'ave to make our own door." She said, focusing her attention on Gamori.

And promptly shooting her with a sudden blast of concentrated magic.

Gamori hit the wall with a mute gasp, the wind knocked so heavily out of her that for a moment the world around her began to blacken. The Goetia had only enough time to draw in a new breath before more magic bombarded her, this time singed with a flame that ate at the wood at her back and nipping teasingly at her clothes and flesh. The heat was almost unbearable it burned so badly. Yet it was not Muspelhiem's flames nor hellfire, and so Gamori did not burn.

_I'm going to fucking kill her._

The fire began to fade, and with it a new rage boiled in Gamori's chest. There was a gasp from Belldandy, however the Goetia was too heavily focused on Herja to bother understanding what it was. "You're dead, _Wendigo_!" The woman shrieked, the voice that screamed too deep for the woman called Urd.

The Goetia charged the revived Valkyrie with a snarl, and Herja welcomed the attack with open arms. The tall woman made no move to attack nor even defend herself, only to duck and weave away from Gamori's blows with all the grace of a bird. The most the Goetia accomplished were mere glancing blows, the worst of which only dangerous enough to draw blood.

And suddenly Herja was on the offensive, shifting and dodging inside her range and suddenly grabbing Gamori's arm, using momentum to toss the doppelganger over her shoulder and into the charred, weakened wall. The Goetia flew threw it as though it was paper, and outside the demon hit the ground and rolled, rising to her feet in one smooth movement.

Barely noticing the sun shining down on her face, Gamori shifted into a defensive posture, eyes wild and enraged, and waited for Herja to exit the new door after her. Yet rather than strolling out to meet the Goetia, Herja instead sent a glance to Belldandy, smiling widely and dipping into a bow, gesturing the goddess to the hole in the wall. "Ladies first."

With a hesitant step away from the reanimated corpse, Belldandy shakily rushed out the newly-made door, her steps slow and uncertain as she approached Gamori in concern. "Are you alright?" She gasped, standing winded and trembling before the demon. "Your face-"

Herja darted outside after them, releasing a shrill scream that sounded more raptor than man. "_Goetia!_ There's a Goetia in the shrine!" She shrieked. "It isn't Urd! It's the doppelganger! She's taken Belldandy hostage!"

The results were instantaneous, as Valkyries rose from the ruins of the shrine like a swarm of angry hornets, coming to Herja's aid. None of them looked particularly happy, and several already had weapons drawn and ready, waiting for the signal that would unleash them on the lone Goetia.

"Well, this explains quite a bit now, doesn't it?" Hrist said sarcastically, a crossbow already drawn and ready and aimed at the demon's chest.

"Nidhogg bless it." Gamori hissed, dropping out of her stance and instead wrapping an arm around Belldandy's waist. The demon drew the goddess close, grabbing one of the woman's arms with her free hand. "Just play along." She cooed, drawing the Norn's arm behind her back and feeling the woman stiffen against her. Then Belldandy relaxed, and Gamori began the incantation that would create the emergency portal home.

A deep, red light began to encircle the duo, and the air seemed to pulse rhythmically to an unknown beast's heart. The light rose from the earth, and the wrist wrapped around flicked, producing a blade of magic in her Gamori's hand. When one of the Valkyries took a threatening step towards the duo, Gamori brought the blade up to Belldandy's neck, resting it harmlessly against the Norn's skin. "Ah ah ah!" She cried. "Not another step if you cherish the Norn's life blood."

Badb Catha tensed from where she floated a distance above the shrine, and around her those with long-range weapons lowered their arsenal. Gamori grinned. "I love hostage situations." She murmured, before her eyes came to fall on one final person. The demon shared a final look with the Valkyrie, and then Norn and Goetia were fully enveloped in the light of the shrine, disappearing in a burst of red.

The doppelganger gone with the last of the Assiah-side Norns, a maddening shriek erupted in the minds of all present. The Valkyries turned their attention to Badb Catha, who's screams were muted by her old scars and made all the more terrifying because of it. The atmosphere filled with tension, and those present could only watch as the last of the Morrigan raged at her failure.

And through it all, a Valkyrie once known as Herja smiled in victory.

* * *

Crouching behind a crate, Skuld waited. The White Crow was at the Norn's back, resting in the rafters above towards the end of the hallway and keeping watch for oncoming demons. It's black sibling guarded Skuld's front, resting above the youth's head and looking just as tense as Skuld felt. Yet even with the watchful crows, the young Norn felt too exposed. A warning was only a warning, and the number of hiding places within the hall were slim to none.

From somewhere further off, a deep rasp of a caw was heard, and as one the trio of birds and godling took flight. Skuld raced around the corner, catching sight of red tail feathers just as they vanished around the next corner. They'd been lucky so far. Incredibly lucky. The Red Crow, playing the role of scout, hadn't come across any demons ahead of their destinations nor the White Crow any demons trailing behind them. It brought Skuld hope, which terrified her even as it exhilarated her, for her hopes could easily be extinguished around the next corner.

"We're at the cells." The Red Crow cawed from further ahead, and Skuld slowed her pace to better examine the cells. The hallway was dark enough to mistake some of the shapes within the cells for people at times. It forced the youth to pause long enough to ensure she wasn't about to pass the cell she'd originally be imprisoned in. Yet a closer look revealed nothing but cells in disrepair, their innards lined with fallen pieces of stone that lay crumpled together in the vague forms of people.

The Red Crow released another caw, this time coming to land in front of one of the cell doors. The bird was small enough to hop in between the bars of the cell, and Skuld watched it with a scowl. "Show off." She muttered. The crow looked up at her from the other side of the cell, tilting it's head to one side in curiosity. Skuld ignored it, slowing to a walk and digging into her pockets to remove the key she'd stolen. "This is it then, huh?" She muttered aloud, panting lightly as the Norn approached the door. Peering though the bars, the girl could make out a shadowy mass of darkness that Skuld guessed to be Keiichi.

Mara was no where in sight.

Biting her lip, Skuld looked up to the Black Crow, who flew above her head in tight circles. "Can you go and make sure no one is approaching from the other end of the hallway?" She asked, and the crow cawed at her before departing.

Comforted in the knowledge that she'd have ample warning of someone's approach, Skuld slid the key into the cell lock and turned it, trembling. Things were going too good. The girl would have been more at ease if they'd seen a demon or two in their venture back to the cells. At this rate, their luck was going to run and everything was going to go to shit, Skuld was certain of it. A pack of demons appearing from one of end of the hallway. A demon hiding inside waiting for Skuld's return. Perhaps something worse. Fortuna was a fickle goddess, after all, and if something didn't pop out to make her task a little harder soon, something _very _bad was going to happen. She was certain of it.

The gate swung open with moan, yet no demons appeared, and Skuld took several soothing breaths before entering the cell. There was blood on the floor. Blood that hadn't been there when Skuld had escaped, and with a grimace she thought of Mara. "It's probably from one of those demons Mara was beating up." She said to herself. "That's all."

Her words did little to reassure her, and Skuld grit her teeth, moving further into the cell. She approached Keiichi cautiously. The man was unnaturally still, and for a moment Skuld feared she was too late. Then she heard the soft, short, ragged gasps parting the man's lips, and Skuld sighed in relief. "Thank goodness." She whispered. "You kept the potion I gave you, right Keiichi?"

Keiichi didn't say a word, and the youth berated herself for speaking to a feverish man as though he could hear her. She kneeled at his side, patting around the man's body until her hands touched something unnaturally smooth. "Yes!" She hissed, wrapping her hands around it and drawing it close to her face.

It was the potion, the same as she'd left it and none the worse for wear. "It's still here!" She smiled brightly, only for her grin to fade a moment later. "But that means Mara wasn't able to give it to him..."

The youth returned her gaze to Keiichi, and the smile dropped into a frown. "That idiot." She complained, shaking off her unease. "I have to do everything by myself, don't I?" Shaking her head with a scowl, Skuld pocketed the potion and grabbed Keiichi's arm, pulling the man onto his side with a grunt. His flesh felt clammy and hot, and the man remained unresponsive to her actions.

Somehow Skuld was positive that was a bad thing.

Wiping her hands on her shirt with a grimace, Skuld crawled over to Keiichi's head, sitting down in front of him. Removing the vial from her pocket, the Norn uncorked, cradling Keiichi's head in one arm. "This is supposed to help you get better, okay Keiichi?" She told him. "So make sure you drink all of it." Angling his head as much to the ceiling as she dared, Skuld carefully poured the potion into the dying man's mouth. Hopefully the moisture dribbling onto her pants was only spit.

The youth remained stationary for several minutes, hoping that in doing so she'd ensure most of the potion would be swallowed and that Keiichi wouldn't choke. She then carefully rested the man's head back on the ground and rolled him back onto his stomach. The mortal remained unresponsive the entire time: no moans, no tremblings, no pants, no flailing...nothing. Skuld found it disturbing, and the Norn could only pray that she'd returned in time to give the man the potion.

Standing, Skuld stared down at Keiichi for a long, long moment. "Please get better." She whispered. "I don't want you to die. Belldandy will be sad and I won't have anyone to try my inventions on anymore." Shoving her hands into her pockets, the girl fondled the key within. Withdrawing it, the girl stared at it before looking down at Keiichi. After a moment's hesitation, the raven-haired Norn kneeled once more, slipping the key beneath Mara's cloak and out of sight. "Just in case." She said. "Just in case I'm caught again. Until then, you keep a hold of it, and when you get better and Mara comes back, get out of here. I'm going to look for materials and find my own way out of here, but when I find it I'll come back for you, okay?"

Nothing but silence was her response, but by now Skuld was expecting that. Keiichi wasn't much for talking anymore. The Norn nodded, a new look of determination flashing across her face. "I can do this." She reminded herself, looking up to the rafters where the Red Crow watched in silence. "And I'm not alone, either."

Swallowing her self-doubt, Skuld waved the crow on before turning once more to the cell door. Exiting the girl made sure to shut the gate behind her and the bird before looking up to the Red Crow. "Is there an armory or something around here?" She asked, following the bird as it glided further down the hallway in the direction a pack of demons once approached from. "I need to re-stock. Those demons took the last of my bombs..."

The youth's voice trailed off as the flock of birds and Norn turned a corner, leaving Keiichi alone in the cell once more. The man was still.

And suddenly a hand twitched. Or rather, a finger. A moment later a low groan forced itself out of Keiichi's throat. "Sk...dr..."

"H..lp..."

His moans, soft though they were, did not go unheard.

Something paused outside the cell. Something big and black and fierce, it was the scent of its prey that drew it to the cell, yet at the sound of Keiichi's voice, the creature paused in its hunt. It peered through the bars of the cell, and deeply-set violet eyes observed the man within. A deep rumble, not quite a growl and almost a purr, rose from deep within its chest, and the beast approached. The creature stepped through the bars and into the cell, its body a dark miasma of energy that solidified once more inside the prison.

A long, gray tongue darted in and out of its mouth, tasting the air and scenting blood both familiar and foreign, illness, prey-beasts, and lesser-kin. The monstrosity scented the blood first, a long, slender neck dipping to the ground where it lapped at the drying blood. There were two different tastes, if found. One it knew. The one it had scented upon awakening. The other foreign and unpleasant. It drew back its head with a hiss, baring its teeth at the blood in disdain and anger before turning away.

It then turned to the lone occupant of the cell. The one that smelled of lesser-kin. This one's scent was strange, it realized as the beast grew near. Alien enough to not be recognized as one of the prey-beasts; however, familiar enough to smell similar to the one it hunted. Yet even more peculiar was the uniquely strong scent that could almost pass for kin.

The beast snorted, shaking its head as it fought to clear its nose. Too many scents attached to this one. Too many scents, all buried and mixed together beneath the sweet scent of illness. The monstrosity stared down at the lesser-kin, its head tilting to one side as it observed the man before nudging him with one taloned paw. It earned the creature a whimper from the man in reward, and the beast let the paw drop to its side.

It paced around the lesser-kin, sniffing at his hair, at his feet, before snagging the cloth that covered his body and dragging it away. The man's back exposed to the open air, the scent of rot and sickness was near overwhelming. It caused the creature to backpedal, sneezing and clawing at its nostrils in a desperate attempt to clear itself of the sudden bombardment of stench.

Slowly, the stench dissipated, and as the scents grew more manageable so too did the beast once more approach the man. It sniffed at his back, observing the many wounds there with critical violet eyes. Deep tears were bound closed by thread, yet the wounds were an ugly red. Each wound was puffy and irritated, with yellow puss oozing heavily from infection. The puss mixed and mingled with bright red blood brought to surface from scabs that had been torn away with the cloak's removal. The fluids messily coated the man's back, and where it was more lightly spread the liquids were already beginning to dry and flake, creating a sickly pallor to the man's already deathly pale flesh.

The beast brought its lips back in a silent snarl. What was this? Were there not others in the cell with this lesser-kin at one time? Why would they let something so close to death live on?

A long, low hiss parted its muzzle, and its stomach growled a reminder of the food it lacked. Its tail lashed out angrily, and once more the creature paced, this time circling the dying man in contemplation. It was hungry. Very hungry, and it lacked the energy it needed to speed after the prey it was hunting. The beast knew its energy reserves were low, and the sooner it consumed something the faster it'd be able to go after bigger prey.

It eyed the lesser-kin. The man was dying, and for whatever reason its packmates had chosen to forgo ending his life with a mercy stroke. Instead they'd allowed him be eaten away by infection and illness little by little. Something closely resembling a beastly sneer pressed against its lips.

Pathetic.

No. Worse than pathetic. Disgusting.

Even Valkyries deserved better than this.

It shook its body, its mind made up as it approached the man's front. A mercy kill then. Bite off the head in one quick and painless blow, then feast upon the remains of the body. Diseased or not, meat was meat, and the beast was not about to let a good meal go to waste. Not after hibernating for so long due to lack of food.

It's jaw parted, stretched long and wide and easily engulfing the man's head with room to spare. It could taste the lesser-kin's breath on its tongue. It felt weak and despondent, a silent plea for the mercy of death.

The jaws began to close.

"Hi..dr...Hil...dr..."

The beast paused, tasting thick hair and warm flesh, its teeth just beginning to sink into the man's head.

"Hild...Hildr..." The man panted, and the creature's ears flicked forward in interest.

That name...it hadn't heard _that_ name in a millenia. A sense of curiosity kindling in its chest, the beast removed its jaws from the lesser-kin's head. The creature drew back, laying down and observing the man carefully. Would he speak again?

For a time there was no movement, yet the creature was nothing if not patient. Its tail slowly swept against the ground as it waited for the man to speak. A soft, lazy stroke back and forth across the floor. The lesser-kin did not disappoint. A hand tightened into a weak fist, and the man groaned. Eyelids fluttered, than opened, and glazed brown eyes stared blankly at its front paws. "Hil..dr..." He wheezed. "P-plea...Bel..." Trembling, a hand shakily reached for the creature, only to fall listlessly on top one of its talons. "Hil..." He repeated, and the words came out a sigh.

Yet in those few words, the creature heard so much more.

Desperation.

Fear.

Desire.

A plea. Yet not for the mercy of death. A plea for help. A plea for 'Hild'. It's skin twitched in contemplation, and the creature rested its head down upon its forepaws, leaving it eye-level with the mortal. It nudged the hand with its muzzle, yet whatever brief strength that once possessed the mortal was gone.

"Hild..."

A lesser-kin asking for its help. Such a thing had never happened before. Most creatures, regardless of species, went running from the beast at the first sign of its approach. Nothing, be it god, demon, or spirit held the courage to ask for its assistance, not even in their last throws of life. And yet here this lesser-kin, this mortal, not only called to it by name, but actively reached out for its help!

It puzzled the beast, its cramped stomach ignored in favor of the perplexing creature before it.

What would happen if it _did_ help?

It wanted to know. It had questions now, questions it wanted answered. And while the lesser-kin would have made a good meal, to devour him would mean that those questions would forever remain unanswered.

Unacceptable.

The beast snorted, tail slashing the air wickedly as it made up its mind. It rose to its feet once more.

There wasn't much it could do with the man's current state, but it would do what it could before moving on.

It was still hungry, after all.

Yet that was fine. Its prey would not go far.

* * *

"Thank you." Skuld whispered, staring at the racks of weapons lined against three walls. "Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you _thank you!" _The girl almost squealed in glee before all but skipping to one of the racks that held a box of explosives in one corner of the room. Rummaging around within, the raven-haired youth picked up one of the munitions. She examined it critically before tossing it back into the container with its kin. She looked up from the box, pocketing a different bomb while looking at the watchful Morrigan. The Norn grinned. "Did I mention thank you?" The youth asked, before trifling through another box and carefully picking out a screw rusted with age.

The door was wide open to give Skuld light to see by, as age had worn away the light spell that once illuminated the room. The White Crow had assured her upon entry that an illusion spell hid the entrance from sight. Apparently it was a common practice to hide armory's with such spells as a way to prevent enemy forces from stumbling upon their more deadly weapons, and Skuld had never been more grateful to the crows. True, it was unfortunate that many of the items she could use to her advantage were in bad condition, yet beggars weren't choosers. And so the Norn worked with what was available, gathering together rusted nuts, old bolts, scavenged metal, and whatever bombs that looked in ample enough condition for her to take apart and rebuild.

Experience had taught her long ago the dangers of irresponsible toying with aged bombs.

Voices rose from outside the door and further down the hallway, and reflexively Skuld froze, looking over her shoulder just in time to see a pair of demons pass by the door. The duo were snarling and hissing and gesturing aggressively to one another, yet passed the door without a second glance. The youth released the breath she was holding. "They really _can't_ see me in here, can they?"

"No, they can't." The White Crow agreed. "We are warriors, yet that does not make us fools. It is important to prepare for scenarios such as this, where we are invaded by enemy forces in our own stronghold. Guards can only do so much in securing an armory, and their presence alone draws the attention of demons. Demons may not know what's inside, but simply because of the presence of guards means they want it for themselves."

Something that sounded oddly like a laugh came from the Black Crow. "How true." It said. "I once had a pair of fledgelings guard a pile of manure in a shed close to the demons borderlands." It explained. "Just to act as decoys for our actual weapons, which we'd gathered in a messy pile with a sheet thrown over it in the center of our camp. Then one morning I found the two of them knocked out and the manure gone."

"Out of sight, out of mind." The Red Crow chirped, and Skuld nodded in understanding, stifling a bought of laughter before it could draw the attention of any demons with particularly sensitive ears.

Feeling oddly cheerful for the first time in what felt like ages, Skuld continued rummaging through the room and even began humming to herself in her hunt. When it seemed as though the youth had searched every nook and cranny the room had to offer, the raven-haired Norn gathered her new materials and spread them out in front of her in the center of the room. "Gonna blow me up some demons." She said to herself cheerfully, making a song out of it. "I'm gonna blow up demons! I'm gonna blow up deeemons!"

Watching her work, the Red Crow looked to the Black. "This is the Norn of the Future?"

"Sadistic lass, isn't she?"

"I'm starting to like her. She seems to live up to her namesake more than I'd initially thought."

The girl worked fast despite her lack of equipment and tools. The bombs she made were crudely made, little more than improvised explosives made from old containers and pipe and the explosive powder Skuld had removed from older explosives. The fact that she hadn't blown herself and half the base up was a miracle in itself, yet Skuld was in her element now, and it'd take something short of Ragnarok to disturb her.

A good thing. The Almighty knew what would happen if she was suddenly startled while emplacing a fuze in one of the more volatile explosive mixtures.

Carefully, Skuld moved each of the newly-made explosives off to one side, ensuring each bomb sat a good distance away from its brethren in case something went wrong. The only problem with the bombs now were how big they were due to the materials used. They were going to be incredibly awkward to carry around without a bag or a backpack.

Looking around once more, the youth found several belts dotted with clasps, and further digging revealed large ammunition pouches that snapped into those clasps. Removing the various old ammunition boxes left plenty of room for the bulky makeshift IEDs, and so the Norn carefully deposited one explosive in each pouch she came across. Unfortunately most of the belts were too big for her waist even when pulled to the tightest hole. It forced the lass to sling the belt from her shoulder, where the belt edge dug irritatingly into her neck. But it was better than nothing, and doing it this way meant Skuld could sling a belt from both shoulders and carry extra supplies with her. There was some rope hanging from one of the racks that wrapped around one of the belts, and a couple of the knives still held a relatively sharp edge to them. She strapped those to the belts as well, before carefully examining the other weapons in the room.

The projectile weapons were off limits. After picking one of them up, Skuld found her arms trembling after only a couple of minutes and was forced to put it back down. Just as well. The Norn didn't know the shelf life for the munition or how reliable it was anymore. It'd be bad if the shells or batteries suddenly backfired on her. The same thing could be said for most of the close-quarter weapons as well. Half of them were bigger than her and felt twice as heavy, which really, _really _sucked. Especially in regards to a pretty war hammer lined with spikes on one end that Skuld really really wanted. Too bad she couldn't even lift it.

"Might I make a suggestion, Little Fledgeling?" The Black Crow swept down in front of her, perching on one of the weapon racks. "You are still small, and lack the physical strength necessary to wield these weapons." It explained. "You will need something light and fast, with a long reach to counter any enemies you come across. I would recommend one of the polearms. The spetum, perhaps, or maybe a glaive or ranseur." It pointed to the mentioned weapons with its beak.

Skuld frowned. All of them were long and tall. Taller than her for certain with some even taller than Urd. Each ended with a shaft of steel at the end, ranging from what looked like a butcher's knife taped to the end of a broom handle to a decorated trident. "I don't know..." She muttered, eying the weapons skeptically. "Don't you have a...bashy weapon or something? One that's maybe a little shorter?" She asked. "Those things look too long for me."

"Bashy?" The Red Crow croaked from across the room. "Children are so picky these days." It grumbled. "But I don't _want _the weapon best suited for my stature." It crowed in a high voice. "I want something I can bash peoples brains in! Never mind how heavy it'd be!"

Skuld turned red in embarrassment and anger. Yet the White Crow spoke before she could unleash a retort at the bird.

"Now, now, don't be mean, Sister." It scolded. "She is asking for a weapon she is comfortable with. There is no reason to grow offensive."

The Red Crow puffed its feathers up in anger, yet held its peace, and the White turned its attention to Skuld. "You wish for a blunt weapon?"

Face still red, Skuld grit her teeth and nodded, and likewise the White Crow bobbed its head in an imitation of a nod. "I know what may work for you then. Come here."

Doing as asked, Skuld approached the bird. The White took flight immediately, clawing at a weapon hoisted higher on a weapons display rack on the back wall. "This might suit you, if you can reach it." It cawed.

The young Norn examined it with a scowl, feeling her annoyance at the Red's comment fade in replace of interest. It was another war hammer. One not quite as large and mallet-like as the one that had first caught her eye. The shaft was plain metal wrapped in leather, the pole itself ranging about four feet in length. The head was small and reminded Skuld of a traditional work hammer, only the spike it ended in didn't end in a fork for pulling up nails. Just a long, curved spike. "I guess that could work." She said reluctantly, approaching the wall and reaching up for it.

As she'd originally guessed, it was too high up for her, the weapon still over a foot above her reach. Skuld let out a frustrated growl. "How am I supposed to reach it?" She wondered aloud, examining the wall and finding her solution with a grin. One of the weapons racks was right above the display, and a shelf lined with miscellaneous items stood next to it. "Got it."

The youth moved several items off the shelves, giving her ample room to climb up the shelf like a makeshift ladder. Scaling the shelves to the height of the shelf, the girl grinned. "Parkour for the win!" She cheered, sliding towards the side of the shelf and swinging a leg out towards the weapons rack. Thankfully the edge was close enough that Skuld could keep a firm hold on the shelf while moving her other leg onto it. That done, carefully the girl pushed herself away from the shelf and onto the wall. Leaning heavily on the stone bricks, Skuld sidestepped over to the mantle, warily avoiding the protruding blades of weapons that were already arranged on the rack.

When she was finally underneath it, Skuld reached up to grab it, body trembling with nerves as she fought to hold her balance. The hand wrapped around the metal pole of the weapon, and the Norn smiled in victory. "Got ya!" She crowed, lifting it out of its mantle and slowly repositioning it so the hammer wouldn't off-tilt her balance.

Unfortunately, gaining the hammer seemed to be the end of Skuld's good fortune.

Sidestepping back to the shelf, the hammer's pole _twanged_ against one of the sword hilts leaning against the rack. The force was strong enough to knock it from where the blade rested, and it clattered to the floor with a loud scream. The sudden noise was enough to startle not only Skuld, but the Morrigan as well. The bird trio took to the air with screams and caws in a mild panic. "What are you doing!?" Skuld cried. "Shut up! Someone's going to hear you!"

The birds panic starting to infect her, Skuld rushed to get off the wooden rack, and the hammer hilt managed to knock several more weapons to the ground. The racket increased, and Skuld bit back her own panicked cries as she climbed down the wooden shelf.

"Come on!" She hissed at the unruly birds. "Time to leave before they find us!"

Yet it seemed they were too late. Upon gathering the belts and hoisting them over her shoulders, a shadow descended upon Skuld. A demon, the woman's eyes were lightly highlighted in a red glow. She stood in the center of the doorways, staring straight at Skuld. The youth froze. "Shit." She hissed, clutching her new weapon tightly to her chest and waiting for the woman to act.

Yet the intruder did nothing, merely stared, and for a brief moment Skuld dared herself to hope the woman didn't actually see the room._ We're okay still. _The girl thought. _She must have been drawn to the noise. She doesn't know we're here._ By now the crows had calmed down as well, and they perched around Skuld, waiting for the fiery-haired woman to leave.

Not taking any chances, Skuld silently eased herself to one of the crates holding junk explosives. If the woman _did _enter the room, the Norn wanted to at least take the stranger by surprise.

The demon was muttering to herself now, tilting her head to one side with a look of confusion on her face. Then the woman hesitantly reached out to the open door, only to pull it back with a start. The stranger gasped, taking a step back in surprise, then turned and shouted something down the hallway.

_Ah fuck._

Two more demons rushed to the woman's side, and the demon spoke wildly, gesturing towards the door. The two newcomers looked at each other, then warily advanced, one of them reaching out to touch what must have been the illusion before pressing his hand through it. The man yelped and his buddy hesitated, only for the woman at their backs to scowl and push them both through without so much as a second thought. The duo stumbled into the armory and, Skuld adjusted her grip on the hammer from where she crouched hidden.

Blinking, the men looked around in curiosity. One of them called back to the demon in the hallway, and after a brief conversation the woman followed them inside. Three demons present now, the trio began to explore the armory. One examined a rack of weapons while another snooped around a crate filled with ammunition. The female sniffed the air however, and began making her way towards Skuld, a deep frown on her face.

Hesitantly, Skuld withdrew one of her new bombs. Readying to ignite the fuse, a sudden caw made both woman and child pause. From the other side of the room the Morrigan appeared, cawing and screeching and causing a general ruckus that sent the demons shouting and screeching as well. One of the men approached the crows, waving his hands in a shooing motion that did nothing but instigate the birds. They dive bombed him, and his companion raced to help. The other demon, this one with short, light brown hair, unleashed a bout of flame from his mouth that send the Morrigan scattering around the room.

Yet for all the crows managed to distract the two males, the female demon had yet to move. Instead she observed the fiasco with a frown, before turning back towards the boxes Skuld hid behind. The woman muttered something before sniffing the air once more. She drew closer.

And taking a deep breath, Skuld activated the bomb and tossed it hard over her shoulder. Distracted by the object's sudden flight, the demon's head swiveled to watch it fly towards the center of the room, and in that same instant Skuld struck. Too scared to scream, instead the Norn dove out of her hiding place and smashed the hammer into the woman's knee. The youth was gifted with a look of total and complete surprise before the woman dropped to the ground like a rock, howling in pain.

The redhead's screams drew the attention of the other two, and upon seeing Skuld they raced towards her with a shout. That was around the same time they ran into the bomb, and it exploded beneath their feet. The two men were propelled backwards with their own howls and screams of pain, and Skuld bolted for the exit.

Only to come to a screeching halt.

Something was blocking the doorway.

It wasn't a demon.

Skuld didn't know what it was, but she knew it wasn't a demon.

No...this was something worse than a demon.

Much worse.

The monster was huge. It's body alone took up more than half the doorway, and for all its sleek, agile appearance it had enough mass to require six legs instead of four. Four-pronged talons dug furrows into the stone floor as it entered the room. It observed Skuld with the forward, deep-set violet eyes of a predator, framed by a long, narrow muzzle lined with more teeth then Skuld could count as it bared its teeth at her. A growl rose from deep within its chest, and what Skuld initially thought were a pair of horns folded flat against the creatures head. The ears disappeared under a mane of silver that cascaded down a long, serpentine neck, where the silver ended between the creature's shoulder blades. The beast took a step towards her, then another, lowering its long neck down to place itself eye level with Skuld.

Yet the girl couldn't move. Paralyzed, Skuld stared back into the creature's violet eyes with a pair of terrified brown. The beast roared at her, and Skuld screamed back, her voice rising with the screams of the demons in the room and creating a hideous choir of pain and fear.

"Skuld, run!" Something pecked at her arm, and the Black and White Crows descended upon the monster with caws. The birds dived at the creatures eyes, and with a shriek the head reared back, snapping at the birds. Again, the Red Crow pecked at Skuld's arm, and this time the pain was enough to stir the Norn. The girl dropped her hammer, turning and running to the far side of the room as the Red Crow joined it's kin. "Not this time, Daimakaicho!" It shrieked. "You will not take this child for yourself!"

Skuld looked over her shoulder in horror. "D-Daimakaicho?" She squeaked. The birds were telling the _truth_? That-that _thing_ was the Daimakaicho?

Behind her, the creature snapped at the air, and a long, gray tongue wrapped around the Black Crow's foot. It's mouth opened wide, and the tongue pulled the struggling bird into its jaws. Skuld looked away, yet the sudden cease of on voice and the crunch of bone was more than enough to fill her mind with gruesome images.

_I need to get out of here! _The lass thought to herself. Yet there was only one way out, and that way was currently being blocked by a huge, angry, black, step-mother from hell. Unless it decided it was going to leave the room, Skuld wasn't going anywhere.

One of the demons was shouting something, but for the life of her Skuld couldn't tell if it was at her or something else. And so the girl ran past the redhead, only for the demon to reach out and grab her foot, yanking her to the ground with all the strength the woman possessed. Skuld went down with a scream, and as she hit the floor her eyes widened. "There!" She cried, scrambling to her knees and crawling to the back wall only for the female demon to drag her back. Skuld screamed, and the demon snarled something at her.

Skuld responded with a boot to the face.

"Lemme go you evil demonic _bitch_!" She screamed at the woman, shouting several choice phrases she'd heard both Urd and Mara use in the past. This was no longer a game of hide and seek or even about escape. This was about survival now, and Skuld intended to let the woman know that.

Even if it meant stomping the woman's face in.

The Norn raised her foot again, launching it out once more and burying it in the woman's nose. "Let." Again. "Me." Again. "Go!"

In the end, it was not Skuld's foot stomps that forced the demon to release her.

It was the beast called Daimakaicho.

A large, black paw, one that too closely resembled Skuld's own hand, reached out and snagged one of the demon's pants legs. It was enough to make the woman scream, and suddenly Skuld was free. The girl scrambled to her feet, ignoring the shrieks and roars behind in favor of bounding to the far wall.

A vent.

She'd seen a vent. A vent to help keep a room full of explosives cool and dry. A vent that would lead to freedom.

The girl dropped to her knees, grabbing the metal with hands that shook and pulling back with a strength born of utter and complete terror. The metal came off with metallic _pop, _and Skuld tossed the metal aside. The hole barely looked big enough to let her squeeze through, and with a grimace Skuld pulled off the belts she's put so much time and effort into.

_The Morrigan!_

The thought came unannounced, and with a grimace, Skuld looked behind her, hoping to see the remaining crows still pecking at the Daimakaicho's eyes. Yet they were no where to be seen, and the monster was lifting a muzzle dyed red with blood up from the corpse of the female demon. It narrowed its eyes at Skuld and hissed. Skuld swallowed a whimper.

Grabbing one of the belts, the girl leaped to her feet. "Eat this!" She screamed, tossing the belt with all her might at the Daimakaicho. The creature's head snapped up and struck it as quick as a snake, and with the monster distracted Skuld dove into the tunnel and wormed her way inside. The girl crawled as fast as she could, and from somewhere behind her the muffled scream of a monster rattled the steel walls around her.

Yet Skuld ignored it, climbing her way into the darkness. She ignored the screams of rage. Ignored the sound of something reaching into the tunnel after. Ignored the feel of something grazing her foot.

And Skuld definitely ignored the sudden blistering heat and deafening roar of a bomb going off in a room full of explosives thanks to a monster's carelessness.

Skuld kept crawling.

It was the only thing left she could do.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: I bet you all thought the Morrigan were lying about the Daimakaicho wandering their halls, didn't you? And every time that beast appears stalking Skuld, I always hear the 'Jaws' theme playing in my head. Anyways, que the victory theme music for this one, Skuld has leveled up! What's this? Skuld is evolving! Skuld evolved into a Badass!_


	30. Failure

_A/N: The author is an evil bitch. Be warned, ye of weak stomachs and easily offended-there be many a violence here._

* * *

Somewhere deep in the bowls of Niflheim, Belldandy and Gamori rematerialized.

It was no coincidence that it just so happened to be ten feet above Hild's head.

There was something to be said for a pair of women materializing over a desk. As Belldandy and Gamori suddenly appeared screaming above the Daimakaicho's head, Hild wondered what those words were. The soft _hiss_ of a teleportation spell activating in her office had been the Demon Lord's first hint of the new arrivals, and by the time they'd appeared Hild had already pushed herself a short distance away from the desk. By the time both women had collided with the desk in yelps and moans, the Daimakaicho was on her feet and approaching them both.

The dark woman looked the two newcomers over with a raised brow, but otherwise said nothing. Gamori, illusion destroyed, opened three golden eyes, and as they met violet the tan demon groaned. "It worked?" She croaked, deep voice cracking audibly. "I thought for sure the spell would have misfired..."

Belldandy, from where her head rested face-down on the demon's stomach, twitched.

Hild's face broke into a bright smile. "Nope. Not at all." She said, voice oozing with delight. "Though I must admit, when the spell was created, It had been designed under the idea that it would never need to be _used_." The silver-haired woman leaned back, rubbing her chin as she observed demon and god. "From what I remember, there had never even been any demons bold enough to test it. I'd specifically requested the opening to that gate be in my office to ensure that I'd personally meet with whoever had screwed up enough to actually consider using it." Violet eyes narrowed. "You must have been rather desperate to use the emergency gate, Goetia Gamori."

Gamori flinched. "I...they were going to take us to the Yetzirah, Lady Daimakaicho. And after-"

Hild silenced the Goetia with a look, and Gamori's mouth snapped shut as though by magic. "You forget yourself, Goetia. We have a guest." Violet eyes focused on Belldandy, and Hild's gaze grew curious. "A rather important guest, at that." The woman leaned over, prodding the Norn in the side with a dark finger.

Hild might as well have tazed Belldandy. The woman reacted violently to the poke, the hands that had been resting listlessly on Gamori curling into fists and pounding into the Goetia's body as the Norn picked herself up with a scream. The act in turn caused Gamori to scream.

"Not _there_!" The Goetia howled, seeming to curl around the fists before finally shoving the goddess off her.

Belldandy fell off the table with a crash, and there the Norn lay with a moan, rolling onto her back and covering her face with both hands.

Hild blinked. "Well _that _was certainly unexpected." Ignoring the Goetia who'd curled up into a pall of misery on her desk, the Daimakaicho approached the brunette on the ground. Kneeling to better observe her, the bronze woman gently drew one of Belldandy's hands away from her face, revealing a cerulean eye that squinted up at her painfully. "I suppose this means you're still feeling the affects of that poison." She stated.

Belldandy grunted. "Hild?" She rasped.

The Daimakaicho shook a mane of silver hair, clicking her tongue in displeasure. "Children these days seem so rash." The woman said, before reaching down and grabbing Belldandy by the shoulders. Gently, the demon helped the Norn into a sitting position. Looking back to the table, the Daimakaicho frowned. "Gamori, stop fooling around and get down here. I'm sure this girl is in need of your medical capabilities."

The demon drew her head up off the desk. "Do I have to?"

Now the Daimakaicho scowled. "If not you, your sibling, Gamori." She warned. "And unless you want _that_ person smelling strongly like a goddess because of them caring for her, I would highly advise you stop drooling on my papers and get _down_ here."

It was hard to tell if it was the words or the underlying threat beneath the words that caused the Goetia to move so quickly, yet none the less the Goetia hopped from the table. "On it." She said hastily.

Grimacing, Belldandy released a moan, clutching her head as though it pained her. "Hild, please tell me I'm awake." She murmured. The Daimakaicho raised a silver brow in question, yet Belldandy didn't seem to notice it. "I dreamed of horrid black monstrosities chasing me through some wretched den, and my chest hurt because I had one of their offspring growing in my lungs, readying to burst from my chest upon maturing."

Now both demons were staring at Belldandy. One in fascination, the other in a rather disgruntled manner. "So this is what the Norn of the Present dreams of when she sleeps?" Hild asked, not bothering to hide the mirth in her voice. _I don't even know what this beast is, but I want one._

Gamori shuddered.

Then Belldandy did something Hild had never known her to do in the time she'd known the goddess. Belldandy scowled, then glared at Hild. "No." The Norn shook her head. "That is what Keiichi dreams of as he grows closer to death." The woman hesitated, then spoke again, this time sending Hild a queer look the demon couldn't recognize. "He dreamed of _you_ as well. A beastly you. One that had readied to end his life until he begged her to stop. Then she licked his injuries and left him."

Gamori tensed, silently mouthing Belldandy's words from where the Goetia was producing potions and vials as though by magic.

Hild stared at the goddess in surprise. "A beastly me, you say?" Belldandy grunted in agreement, and the Daimakaicho pursed her lips. "And tell me Belldandy, what did this beast look like?"

The Norn shook her head. "I cannot recall." She admitted, looking down at her hands. "Only the the creature was frightening, and when he looked to it Keiichi saw both beast and you at once." The woman looked up, meeting violet eyes with lost, exhausted blue. "Hild, what is it? Another avatar? Why then would it seek to end Keiichi's life?"

The Daimakaicho regarded the Norn for a moment in silence, searching for the proper words to bequeath the woman and instead finding her gaze traveling to Gamori. By now the Goetia wasn't even trying to look busy, staring openly at them both with alert, golden eyes.

The woman didn't flinch went she met the Daimakaicho's gaze.

"Daimakaicho Hild..." The woman ventured, and Hild narrowed her eyes. The Goetia hesitated for a brief moment before continuing. "Please Daimakaicho Hild, it's not-"

"Gamori, I think it's past time you reported back to the Slayers. You still need to be debriefed, if I'm not mistaken." Hild interrupted, only to be countered as the Goetia suddenly lashed out.

"_No._" She hissed. "Daimakaicho Hild, I'm sorry, but not this time. Not if it's that-that _thing_ again. You know-"

"Gamori." Hild warned.

"-what it did last time. You know what that entire-"

"_Gamori._"

"-place did to her, and if it really _is _that then we need to-"

This time Hild snarled viciously, baring her teeth at the Goetia with a deep-throated growl. Immediately Gamori grew silent, and even Belldandy drew away from the Daimakaicho, startled by the sudden display of hostility. "You will silence your lips or I shall do so for you!" She snapped. "Do _not_ forget whose presence you are in." And just as quickly as it appeared, the anger vanished. When Hild turned back to Belldandy, the Norn saw nothing but an easy smile. "You'll have to forgive Gamori's..._impudence_." The word came out a hiss, and Gamori flinched. "The beast you mentioned brings back bad memories for her. Someone...close went through a rather bad experience with a creature that might be the one you spoke of."

Belldandy frowned, her gaze worried as they traveled between Hild and the flustered Gamori. The Goetia refused to meet her gaze. The goddess redirected her focus to Hild. "But what _is _it?" She asked. "I've never heard or seen such a creature as the one that haunts Keiichi's mind, and Hild, I am sorry, but the fact that it some how is associated with you does not put my heart at ease."

Hild's smile was thin. "None taken." She replied. "As for the creature, and I'm_ not_ saying that is what it _is_, I must ask a question of you first, Belldandy."

The goddess held her silence, and so the Daimakaicho continued. "Can you tell me what a _tulpa_ is, Belldandy?"

The question caught the Norn off guard, and the goddess blinked. "A _tulpa_?" Belldandy parroted, and light brows furrowed together in confusion. "Yes, of course." She said. "A _tulpa_ can be any number of things. A collective mass of mental energy. A creature given life from spiritual energies. It can be sentient, created by a master that wishes it to serve a specific purpose, such as delivering a message, or can be little more than a cloud of thoughts used to portray a subject by the owner." The goddess ran a hand through her hair in distress. "But what does that have to do with the beast? Surely you aren't implying that a _tulpa_, a thoughtform, is what nearly killed Keiichi."

Hild graced the goddess with a toothy smile. One a cat might give to a cornered mouse. "Is that all a _tulpa_ could be?"

Belldandy shook her head. "No, not at all." She replied. "There are infinite possibilities that could manifest in regards to a _tulpa_, ranging anywhere from a strong desire to achieve something or a legendary creature brought to life because of the amount of spiritual and mental energy formed around its concept. There are many, many more, yet as of now those are the majority that come to mind."

Hild nodded her head in approval. "Good. Very good." She purred. "It seems those would-be scholars weren't slacking on _your_ studies, at least." The woman rose to her feet, stretching in a manner reminiscent of a large panther awakening from a nap. "You are indeed correct, Belldandy." She said. "A _tulpa_ can be any number of those things, yet the definition I was searching for was something a little more specific." The Daimakaicho glanced at Gamori from the corner of one violet eye, and the demon quickly bowed her head, unwilling to challenge the bronze woman again. "For a _tulpa_ could also be a mass of residual emotions and thoughts and spiritual energy, left to sit and gather in an area filled with highly concentrated magic."

The woman laughed. "_That_ is the beast I speak of, Belldandy. Born of a time where battles were fierce and emotions high and left to stew as those that were its original owners departed for the realms of the dead or their own respective homes." Hild's smile was aggressive, and Belldandy's breath caught in her throat as the Daimakaicho sent that smile at her. "After a time, a long, _long_ time, its possible that such a mass might grow a sentience of its own. It might form a body made of magic, and a mind identical to the strongest thoughts and emotions left behind. And as you should know, Belldandy, once an entity has a body and a mind, it has a _purpose_, and suddenly a new creature is born to the world."

If possible, Belldandy's already pallid complexion grew paler. "Are you saying _that_ is what near-ended Keiichi's life?"

Hild shrugged. "Not at all." She replied. "As I said before, I only refer to the creature that Gamori speaks of. Nothing more, nothing less. And based on what little evidence you were able to provide me, it is hard to say if that truly is what is roaming the halls Keiichi rests in." The demon tapped a finger to her lips thoughtfully. "Yet if it is...if it _is_...we might suddenly have an idea of where your sister and Keiichi is, my dear. And my demon, for that matter."

Belldandy straightened. "_Truly_?" She cried, her eyes wide and hopeful. Hild nodded, and the goddess slowly pushed herself to her feet. "Then we must act quickly." The Norn proclaimed. "If there's even the _slightest _chance that-"

"Wow now, what's this _we_ you speak of, Little Norn?" Hild cut her off, and Belldandy stared at the Daimakaicho in confusion. "There is no 'we' in this little scenario you seem so content to create, Belldandy. You have no role to play in this beyond recovering from your sickness."

"But Keiichi-"

"Is injured, but alive." The silver-haired woman leaned in close to the Norn. "And if he's alive, do you not believe he will return to you? Or is your faith so lacking in your mortal, in Urd, that you believe him dead already? Don't answer that." From where Belldandy had opened her mouth to protest, immediately it snapped shut. "Belldandy, you are sick, and from where I stand now, I see little improvement in ways of your condition. I have no mind to use you while you're here, as I'm sure you know already I have more important things to focus on than a Norn right now. You can rest assured that your stay here will be safe." Hild scowled, and for a moment Belldandy saw her own mother standing before her. "And in saying such, your primary duty should be to recover so that you might meet Keiichi at the gates of Niflheim. Understand?"

Silence was the Demon Lord's only response as Belldandy did nothing but stare at Hild. Then to the surprise of both demons, Belldandy threw her arms around Hild's neck with a broken sob. For a brief second a look of pure panic passed swiftly across the bronze woman's face, and Hild froze, unsure of what to do. Tense, the Daimakaicho sent a wild-eyed violet gaze to Gamori, only to find the demon staring at both demon and Norn with an alarm that bordered on horror.

Violet eyes returned to the goddess clinging to her neck, and awkwardly Hild put her arms around the Norn, patting her lightly on the back with a disgruntled frown. "Yes...yes." Hild mumbled. "You can stop that...Really Belldandy...there's no need for that. You can let go of me now. Seriously."

Eventually Belldandy finally eased her grip around the Daimakaicho's neck, pulling away with a sniff. The brunette's eyes were red from irritation and drooping with exhaustion, and for a brief moment something akin to pity settled in the bronze woman's chest. "You've come a long way, Belldandy." The demon sighed, resting a hand gently on the Norn's head. "And I think it's time for you to rest. Preferably not on me."

Immediately the brunette jerked away from the Demon Lord, blue eyes widening in alarm. "_No._" The goddess breathed out, her voice barely above a whisper.

A silver brow raised in question. "No?" Hild echoed, before shaking her head in disdain. Since when did Belldandy ignore the voice of common sense? "_Yes._" She hissed back, and even as Belldandy began to part from her, the Daimakaicho moved in for the kill.

A stab in the center of the forehead with a bit of magic was more than enough to overwhelm the goddess in her weakened state. The Norn's eyes rolled back into her head, and the goddess was out cold before her body even hit the floor. Hild caught the goddess before Belldandy could injure herself in her unconscious state, and in doing so the Daimakaicho sent a look to the lone Goetia that occupied the room. "Gamori? I've a new task for you."

The bronze woman rose with a grunt, cradling Belldandy in her arms. "Come, stand before me and hold out your hands." Upon the three-eyed demon's approach, Hild unceremoniously dumped the Norn into the Goetia's arms. "Congratulations, Gamori. For your prior impertinence towards me in the presence of deity, you are now responsible for this one's well being."

"_What?_" Gamori squawked ingenuously, and all three eyes widened in horror. "But Daimakaicho, this is-she's a-" The tan demon was rendered speechless, staring from Belldandy to Hild and back again, and Hild's smile was cruel.

"No excuses, Gamori." She scolded. "You seem so concerned about what might happen to a certain demon that it would seem as though you need something to keep your mind distracted. I'd think you'd be grateful for this new task-with a new patient, a _goddess_ no less, to look after there will be little time for you to worry over things you cannot control."

The Goetia stared at Hild for a long moment, then dropped her gaze in submission, instead staring down at Belldandy and readjusting her grip on the woman in her arms. "Yes Daimakaicho." She said dejectedly. A moment's hesitation, and the Goetia looked up to Hild once more. "Permission to speak, Ma'am? Now that the Norn is unconscious?"

The Daimakaicho inclined a head filled with silver, and the Goetia set her lips. "Marller is with that mortal."

"That she is, Gamori." Hild said, keeping her voice neutral.

The demon bit her lip, seeming to war with some inner battle with herself before speaking again. "Daimakaicho Hild...is it really okay for us to merely wait here then? Especially if it's that..._tulpa_ from before...last time it nearly broke her, and if it really is _that_ one..." The dark-haired woman trailed off, her body tense with unease.

Hild huffed dramatically, running a hand through her wild hair as she eyed the younger woman. "Well, you're wrong on several points with whatever scenario is running through your head, Gamori." The bronze woman slapped the demon on the back of the head in emphasis. "That _tulpa _from back then _did_ break her, from what I recall. Or have you forgotten just who it was that graced you and your kinsman with so many scars?"

Gamori winced.

"Yet at the same time, it had come across her when she was near-broken to begin with. Things are different this time."

The demon looked at Hild in surprise, and the Demon Lord smiled cheerfully. "This time she is not alone. She has not lost anyone to _Wendigo_ nor been chased through a desert half-mad and half-dead." Hild looked the demon straight in the eyes and leaned in closer to the Goetia. "This time, she has someone to come back to." She whispered. "Which is why you're going to care for that goddess to the best of your abilities, Gamori. So that when she _does_ return home, Belldandy can meet her sisters and that person Marller cares so desperately for can be right there at Belldandy's side waiting to greet her as well. Regardless of how broken she is. Understand?"

The Daimakaicho pulled away. Rendered speechless, Gamori could only nod in confirmation, and Hild patted the Goetia lightly on the head.

"Good. Now get the hell out of my office. I want that Norn fixed up and a debrief report from you within the next six hours before I let you off the hook."

"Yes Ma'am." Dismissed, the tan woman with three golden eyes began to make her way to the door.

"And Gamori? One more thing."

"Yes Daimakaicho?"

"If you breath a word of this to anyone, I'll see you hung from the tallest scaffolding, stripped of flesh for the birds to pick at."

The Goetia bowed her head, allowing long, black hair to hide her smile. "Of course, Daimakaicho Hild."

And through it all Belldandy did not stir once. Her sleep was deep, her dreams black, and the stench of death was no more.

* * *

Skuld awoke with a gasp to a world of darkness and thick, heavy air. Disorientated and uncomfortably hot, the youth fought to stand, only to find her body compressed by two walls and a very low ceiling. The girl banged her head against metal and a low echo reverberated throughout the tunnel the young Norn lay trapped in. Panicked, the youth's breath came short and rapid, making the already congested air even harder to inhale and increasing her terror. Where was she? This wasn't the cell. Where were Keiichi and Mara? Had the demons thrown her in here?

A whimper rose unbidden in her throat, and Skuld tried to turn around, to look behind her, only to find both efforts futile at best. The corridor was so narrow her shoulders were scraping the walls on either side of her, making it difficult to move forward and near-impossible to slide backwards.

Not that going backwards would have done her any good. There was no source of light either before or behind her, leaving Skuld alone in the dark with only one option. "Calm down, calm down!" Skuld whispered harshly to herself. "Your fine, alright? Can you feel that? There must be a way out of here if you can feel a breeze." Even with the thick air she breathed, occasionally a cool draft would blow across Skuld's face, so feint that when first she'd felt it the Norn wasn't certain it was real. "It's because your in a vent, remember?" Skuld asked herself. "That's right...you were in the armory, then the demons came followed by..." The girl trailed off, feeling the hair on the back of her neck rise in alarm as her memory of the past events returned to her.

_That _was why the air felt so hot and muggy. From the explosion. The one the monster called Daimakaicho had set off. "That would explain why half my body feels like it's aflame." Skuld muttered to herself, finding comfort in the sound of her own voice. It was the only sound she could hear in the vent. The silence beyond that was deafening. "The heat of the explosion must have seared what skin wasn't covered." She grimaced, momentarily glad for the infinite darkness surrounding her The girl didn't want to see the extent of the damage wrought from such a huge expulsion of heat. "I bet the explosion heated the metal enough to peel off any skin that wasn't already burned, too." She said in displeasure, finding her forearms and elbows flaring angrily as though waiting for Skuld to recall the pain. "But it's okay now. I got away from that, that _thing_. I know I did."

And Skuld could still feel the air flow, too. The vent had to lead to an exit _somewhere_, and all she had to do was find it. "Just need to keep moving forward." She murmured to herself, grunting softly as she once again began her crawl through the ventilation shaft. "Just gotta take my time and keep calm. It's not like I'm stuck in here, and it's not like that monster thing can follow after me."

If it was even still alive...

The walls around her echoed hollowly as Skuld crawled, and the noise gave her comfort, a sort of warped music to listen to over the deafening silence that otherwise followed her. What part of the girl's body that didn't burn ached from the cramped position she'd been forced into. A small piece of her mind wondered how long she'd been in the vent. "It must have been a while. I remember stopping to rest after crawling for so long, and that must have been around the time I fell asleep." The youth said to herself, ignoring the rapid beat of her heart and the breaths that were slowly growing labored with each passing minute. "It's either that, or I passed out from a lack of oxygen." the Norn muttered wearily. "If it's that, I'm lucky I came too."

The minutes passed slowly, and through it all Skuld could see no sign of light the further she traveled. Nothing but a never-ending darkness. After what felt like fifteen minutes, the Norn found herself forced to come to a stop once more. The girl was panting by now, the air felt thick enough to choke her with. Sweat dripped from her brow, and the youth fought desperately to calm her racing heart.

Taking deep breaths of hot air, slowly the panting faded, leaving the Norn with silence for companionship once more. With a moan that echoed within the vent, Skuld let her arms slide out from her side, allowing her chin to hit the metal floor with a hollow _thump_. "This sucks." She muttered dourly. "I've been used as a hostage, threatened with death, kidnapped, touched by a perverted old demon, and hunted by demons and monsters alike. Yet the one thing that is going to get the better of me is my being lost if a freaking vent in the middle of nowhere!" Hands curled into fists, she slammed them both down on the metal, enjoying the hollow echo her frustration produced. "I am _not _going to die and rot in a damned vent!" Skuld shouted, and her voice echoed down the corridors and back to her.

It returned as a hollow moan, yet the grin that had wormed its way upon Skuld's face initially suddenly fell away. For a moment it almost sounded as though another noise had returned with the echo, and Skuld tensed, straining her ears in the silence that followed. The girl could hear nothing, and slowly Skuld released the breath she held. "Guess I'm getting paranoid now. I could have sworn I heard something." The Norn laughed nervously. _Maybe it's a good idea to get out of here sooner rather than later._

Swallowing her nerves, the dark-haired youth picked herself up and resumed her crawl. Now, however, the noises she made put her on edge, and more than once Skuld was certain she heard the labored breath of more than one person in the vent with her. Several times the girl was forced to stop; if not to catch her breath, then to clear her doubts of the possibility that something, some_one_ was in the vent with her.

Each time the Norn was greeted with the same silence that had haunted her upon awakening, regardless of how long or how hard the girl strained her ears. It was growing to the point of unnerving, and regardless of her own condition, the youth was suddenly inspired to crawl faster.

She was certain she could hear it now. Louder. Closer. A soft scratching on the metal, the gentle click of claws tapping against steel. This time when she stopped; however, the scratches kept coming before pausing as well. "Go away." Skuld whispered. "_Go away!" _The youth didn't pause in her crawl now. Couldn't. If it was gaining on her, it wouldn't be long before the thing stopped mimicking her steps. It would have to strike eventually. And so instead she moved faster, hoping to move faster than whatever it coming after her.

At one point, the Norn even made an attempt at looking over her shoulder in the desperate hope of catching a glimpse of what was chasing her, yet only the darkness greeted her, and the walls were too cramped and the air too heavy for her to look fully behind her at the thing. Yet it was definitely getting closer now; four pairs of nails _tap tap tapping_ after her, the breath of another beast panting in tune with her own...

Something touched her foot.

And Skuld screamed.

"Let _go!_" She shrieked. The Norn lashed her foot up against the ceiling, then down even harder against the floor. Whatever touched her retreated, and Skuld hurried further on, crawling as quickly as possible through the vent. She ignored the heavy weight of the air in her lungs, of the way the walls seemed to compress around her and squeeze as the air grew thick. She ignored the way her heart beat rapidly in her throat, or how her pants turned to gasps, fighting desperately for each breath in the thick, humid air.

Behind her, Skuld felt the hot breath of a beast on her feet, the snap of jaws nipping at her heels was all too audible, too noisy, too deafening for her to drown out. The Norn whimpered. The girl cried. And behind her Skuld could hear the echoing laughter of something dark and horrendous stalking behind her.

The Norn could hear her pulse pounding in her ears, pulsing heatedly in her veins, and her vision, black though it was, throbbing in tune as well. Fear and dizziness warred for dominance in her mind, and her gasps became the panicked, desperate breath of hyperventilation. Light-headed, it was adrenaline alone that kept the youth going, lashing out desperately with one foot, then the other when it felt that whatever creature behind her was drawing too close.

It was playing with her, she knew. Taunting her, teasing her, drawing close enough to scare only to fade to black and give her hope in escape, then come racing back and crushing her hope of escaping it in the next minute. It seemed to feed off her fear, off her panic, growing undeniably, impossibly larger with each foot Skuld crossed. The laughter of hyenas mingled with the yips of coyotes. The howls of wolves rose in song with the echoing, deafening roar of a lion, the voice multiplying into more than Skuld could count and leaving the youth desperate for the silence that once haunted her journey.

The laughter of a mad man echoed in the scream of a dying woman, and something long and cold wrapped around one of Skuld's ankles. With a maddening shriek it pulled her back towards the mass, and Skuld screamed and kicked and flailed in the cramped vent to no avail. Her strikes hit nothing but metal, causing the vent to roar and echo painfully in her ears, and Skuld closed her eyes with a sob, waiting for the first bite of pain.

Only to find herself free once more, lying in a vent deep within a fortress.

The silence was deafening, and shaking, Skuld opened her eyes.

The blackness had faded to gray, and farther up ahead Skuld could see a small dot of white.

For a long moment the Norn stared at the brightness, wondering if her eyes were deceiving her or if perhaps she was dreaming or dead. The monster, the _monsters_ were gone, and she was alone once more. _As though they never existed in the first place. _Raising her head, the girl strained her ears for any signs of the creatures that once persecuted her, only to find blissful silence once again beating at her ears. Several minutes passed, and when still she could hear nothing, Skuld propped herself up on her elbows once more and began to crawl.

She could feel cool air against her hot body now, and Skuld relished the feeling against her skin, sucking in huge gulps of fresh air that seemed to renew her strength, motivating her onwards towards freedom. It was only the sound of fresh, live voices that caused the girl to pause, just as the grid lines in the vent shaft came into view. Where once had been caution, in its place came fear, and Skuld froze, breath catching in her throat as she listened to the hiss and growls, snarls and howls, of the demons ahead of her. _Don't forget where you are, Skuld._ She reminded herself. _They're still hunting you._

For a brief moment, the Norn silently debated the pros and cons of revealing herself to the demons outside her small, cramped prison versus waiting her pursuers out in the vent and running the risk of meeting that..._thing_ again.

A familiar voice made the decision for her, as Skuld perked up at the sound of Mara's scratchy voice. A bolt of alarm swept through her, and carefully the youth inched forward, using only her arms to crawl towards the grate lest she draw too much attention by lashing out with her feet. The voices grew more pronounce, clearer, yet none the less Skuld was at a loss of what they said.

The raven-haired child could almost see through the grate now, streams of light bathing the girl's face in rays as Skuld fought to see what lay beyond. The Norn could make out several vaguely humanoid shapes in her line of sight, and Skuld could hear even more further off to either side of the room. One demon walked right past the grate, and the girl cringed, withdrawing as though fearing the individual would magically sense her.

Yet her worries were for not as the demon passed her by, too preoccupied with the conversation within the room to even notice the lass. Mara's harsh vocals growled something out once more, and Skuld frowned as a male voice responded in a snarl. She recognized one of the words, though. _Highkinling._ They were talking about her.

Mara's voice rose in an amused tone, and around her Skuld could hear various demons hissing in a displeasure obvious even to _her_ ears. Carefully, the Norn shifted in the vent, fighting to get a better view of the blond demon and whoever it was she was conversing with. The lass caught sight of a head of dirty-blond hair that might have been Mara, yet Skuld would need to leave the vent if she wanted to confirm her suspicions. And after the past...days, hours, minutes? After re-encountering the Crows, Skuld found herself with a sudden lack of her normal confrontational attitude. Right now, the Norn just wanted the demons to leave so she could get out of her cramped prison.

The girl caught a flash of blurred movement followed by the sound a soft _whump_, like someone hitting a punching bag. Then came a breathless scream, followed by gasps and dry heaves. Skuld flinched, eying the grate resentfully as though it was the one that had caused the unknown victim's pain before leaning further forward. Still, nothing but the blurry backs of a host of demons greeted her vision, and the youth grit her teeth angrily.

The male voice from before rose once more, snarling and hissing in rage. Mara's response was too soft for Skuld to hear, though the following scream was loud enough to make the girl press her hands over her ears in a futile attempt to drown it out. When the scream faded, only a series of long, drawn-out and painful moans remained, and somehow they seemed worse than the initial scream.

A new voice rose from the demonic audience, and despite herself, Skuld forced herself to move closer to the grate once more, gingerly creeping to the metal and watching as the dirty-blond head that she'd once guessed as Mara moved forwards. Around it, the pack of demons parted for the owner, giving the Norn just enough room to catch sight of Mara herself.

She almost wished she hadn't.

The demon was hanging limply by her left hand, the fanged-woman's body swaying just enough to hint that the woman's feet touched no floor. Streaks of red traveled down the naked flesh of Mara's arm in streams, and Skuld could see where several new wounds had been inflicted upon her person. The demon's other hand rested limp at her side, and the youth could just make out a second rope that bound the limb to the ground. From her place within the vent, the blond's arm looked be bent unnaturally in several places. The gentle swing of the woman's body forced the right arm into movement, and when the binding rope pulled taunt, a fresh gasp of agonizing pain escaped the demon's chest.

The owner of the dirty-blond hair reached forward and grabbed Mara's chin, raising it from where her head hung from her shoulders. The act stopped her body's swaying, yet even still Skuld could hear the demon's harsh, laborious pants from the vent. The demon growled something to the captured woman, and Mara sneered and spat in the man's face, causing an uproar of the surrounding audience.

The interrogator recoiled at the spit, before lashing back with a snarl and a savage kick to Mara's right arm. The woman's howls were long and awful, yet the interrogator silenced them effectively upon wrapping his hands around the blond's throat. Mara began to squirm and struggle against the hold in a futile effort to draw breath, and Skuld watched as the demon drew closer and said something in the fanged-woman's ear.

Abruptly the struggling stopped, and from where she lay even Skuld could see the wide red-eyes of Mara staring at the demon in shock before the interrogator released the blond and stepped away. And then the silence was shattered with a scream of rage so beastly that Skuld jumped. The woman fought against her bindings with a savagery that was frightening to behold, her pain seemingly forgotten in a desperate effort to attack the man. Her feet kicked the air, her arms struggled against the ropes, and her head lashed out in snarls and roars as Mara sought to bite the demon.

Yet the interrogator was clever enough to stay just out of range of her wild kicks, and hoots and hollers filled the room as the viewers egged the bound woman on, shaking fists and laughing and taunting. The interrogator spread his arms out from his side, waving his hands in a beckoning manner as he slowly turned to his audience. The smile on his face was cruel and sadistic, one Skuld had seen before. Self-consciously, the girl swallowed. _Loa._

She couldn't forget those eyes, that smile, even if her life depended on it. Now those gray, near-black eyes traveled lazily around the room, soaking up the encouragement of his comrades and the hate and rage of the demon at his back. They traveled from one demon to another, until there were no more demons to look at.

Then his dark gaze found Skuld's, and the Norn's heart skipped a beat.

The youth stopped breathing, paralyzed with fear as the man's eyes burrowed into her's; malignant and cruel, promising a pain and despair Skuld couldn't even begin to relate to, and on her those eyes rested. _These_ were the eyes of a demon. The epitome of emptiness and futility, all bound up in a package for the amusement of a monster given a human form. To be capable of seeking out one's hopes and dreams and tear them to shreds, leaving only enough to allow the victim to keep hoping and dreaming as those eyes dug the victim a hole too deep to crawl out of, then abandoning them once its amusement had ceased.

Skuld had fought demons before. She'd fought victoriously against Mara and stood defiant in front of the Daimakaicho herself. She'd dived into the very depths of Niflheim and faced the reigning demons and even her sister before emerging unscathed. Yet none of those experiences could compare to the present, caught in a mouse hole and surrounded by cats as they took their fill of a rat. Not when one of those cats had scented her out and was readying to shout it's discovery to the world.

And then with a wicked smile Loa's gaze left her, sweeping around to face Mara once more. Her heart a battering ram against her ribs, Skuld released the breath she was holding with a gasp, shaking and weak with fear and despair. _This is it._ She thought, watching as Loa pumped a fist in the air with a victorious howl. _They've found me. It's all over now._

The man snarled something to the air, and the demon's hand curled into a vicious claw. _"I says High Tongue, for traitor-bitch that choose God child!"_ Loa screamed in Skuld's native language, and the Norn stared at the demon with a start. _"Remember! What done to traitors!" _And with a laugh Loa lashed out with the claws, lashing out at Mara's-

Skuld looked away, squeezing her eyes shut before she could see anymore.

It didn't stop her from hearing the screams.

And so Skuld pressed her hands to her ears once more and grit her teeth. Yet she'd seen too much already, and for what the lass didn't see, for what the Norn didn't hear, her imagination filled in for her.

After a time, the youth stopped fighting the tears, of how her body flinched with each new shout that arose, and soon even the sobs locked in her throat Skuld allowed to pass, for the roar of the demons, be it the persecutors or Mara, were loud enough to drown out any noise the poor girl produced.

The Norn lost track of time.

She'd been doing that a lot lately.

The only signs Skuld had of the torturous session nearing its end was Mara's weakening howls; each one softer than the last. Soon they came not at all, and the deafening, victorious roar that followed was even worse than Mara's pained screams. Skuld bashed her head upon the steel floor in despair, and she saw naught but red as the girl pressed her hands so hard to the side of her head that her nails began to feel moist against her scalp.

She wanted to scream. To hurt. To torture as they'd done one of their own.

For the first time in her life, Skuld wanted blood.

Yet she did nothing. Nothing but wait. And as the echoing roar of demonic voices faded, so too did they began to vanish from her senses, until finally only one demon, _her_ demon, remained. And even then Skuld waited, fighting desperately to control her anger and internalize her sorrow.

It left a cancerous lump of pain in her breast, and there Skuld allowed it to sit and rot.

Finally, Skuld pushed herself as close as she could to the grate. With a manifestation of her hate and rage, the grate popped off with one solid punch, and Skuld pulled herself out of her prison. Once the cool air of the room would have been a blessing after being locked up hot and sweating in such a cramped vent, especially in regards to the burns on her skin, yet now the air felt cold and unwelcome, causing Skuld to shiver in her sweat-drenched clothes.

The raven-haired youth ignored it all in favor of Mara, making a beeline for the woman and feeling her eyes warm and breast burn at the mere sight of the dangling form. She'd seen dead deer being skinned by her uncle Cerunnus that held more life in death than the demon in front of her did now. Mara's head hung limp and lifeless from her shoulders, her neck a colorful assortment of yellows and purples from where Loa had strangled her. The woman's right arm was mangled almost beyond recognition and the left looking as though mauled by a pack of rabid beasts. The blond's normally bright hair was stained orange in several places from blood, and clung in messy clumps down the demon's back and front. Her uniform had several dark splotches from wounds Skuld couldn't see nor wished to. The residual blood flowed down her body and off her boot, dripping into a small puddle of red that had formed beneath Mara's feet.

The sight alone was enough to bring back what Skuld had fought so desperately to bury times ten, yet only a whimper escaped the girl's throat before Skuld bit down hard on her lip. Tasting liquid copper in her mouth, the Norn moved to Mara's right arm, undoing the knot that bound the demon with hands that trembled. By the time she'd freed the woman's wrist, there was blood on her hands; the rope had worn away the skin that had been bound.

One limb free, Skuld looked up, stubbornly focusing on the thick rope around the demon's left wrist.

She couldn't reach it.

The rope was higher than Mara was tall, and Skuld was no where near the height she was one day due to inherit. Alarmed, the youth looked around, finding nothing within the room that could be used to boost her up to the rope.

And that was when the true futility of the entire situation hit Skuld. "He _knew_..." Even if they hadn't found her, there was nothing that could be done for Mara. There was no way Skuld could...and even if she left Mara they'd...lightheaded, the girl barely noticed her knees giving out beneath her. "I can't do anything." She whispered. "I cant-there's nothing I can..." Her vision blurred, and with a scream Skuld pounded her fists against the floor, uncaring of who heard her. "Damn him!_" _She shrieked. "Damn him, damn him, _damn him!" _The Norn wrapped her arms around her body, hugging herself as a long, mournful cry pierced her throat.

The girl fell to her her hands, body wracked with sobs. "I...I..." another pained wail soared from her throat. "I'm _sorry!_" She screamed. "Mara, I'm so sorry! I failed you!" She howled. "You...you did so much t-to make sure I'd get free! And now..." Her voice fell into a whisper. "And now...now I _can't_ leave with you like this..." Skuld sniffed, falling back onto her rump and drawing her legs up to her chest. Wrapping her arms around the limbs, the girl buried her face in a mass of dirty arms and damp pants.

"I made a mistake." The Norn sniffed. "I never should have abandoned you like that...I'd have never done that to Belldandy or Urd or even Keiichi, but because you told me to and I was so scared I...I..." A fresh wave of sobs enveloped her, wracking the youth's body so hard that she almost didn't feel the light tap on her back.

Figuring it to be one of the demons returning to investigate the noise in the chamber, Skuld ignored it, the only acknowledgment of the tap being her nails digging furrows into her arms. A tired growl arose from somewhere over her head, and this time the tap was a bit harder, thicker, the feel of a demon's boot lightly shoving against her. Now Skuld fell silent, sorrow replaced by something more violent, and feeling a newly rekindled rage burning in her chest, gritting her teeth angrily. When the boot knocked into her a third time, this time hard enough to almost shove the goddess over, Skuld wheeled around to face her assailant with a snarl.

"I'm not leaving!" Skuld snapped. "Not without-"

And had just enough time to register the boot as Mara's before the demon reached the peak of her swing, then came rushing back to deliver a boot to Skuld's head.

It was enough to knock the girl over this time, and she fell to the ground with a yelp. The kick hadn't been that strong, little more than what momentum Mara could gain from using Skuld as a launch pad, yet it still hurt, and was enough to snap the girl out of her misery.

"What was that for!" Skuld snapped, rising to her feet and evading the remainder of Mara's fading sways in favor of glaring up at the woman. "I mean, you could have...why would you..." The youth grit her teeth, words dying in her throat as she met the demon's eyes.

Something had changed in Mara's red eyes. What, Skuld couldn't say, the change seemed so minuet, yet it chilled the Norn to her core. Then the look was gone, and the demon breathed one word.

"_Highkinling."_

The voice was barely above a whisper, little more than the soft part of breath, and Skuld tensed. The next words Mara spoke were a mystery to the girl, only the question in her expression hinting at what the demon wanted.

"I..." Skuld began, then looked down, her gaze drifting to the red puddle beneath the woman's feet. "I was trying to escape." She said. "The vent led me here." Her hands curled into fists, and the youth could feel Mara's gaze on her, causing the Norn the fidget. "I...I know what they did to you. I'm sorry I didn't help."

"Help." Mara echoed. "_Help." _Skuld looked up with a start, and Mara weakly tilted her head upwards, eying the remaining rope that held her prisoner. With a pained grunt, the blond maneuvered her hand around the rope, finally managing to grab it and attempt to hoist herself up. The demon didn't get very far, little more than a foot before the strain grew too much and the fanged-woman's fell back into her original position with a pained cry. Her right arm dangled uselessly at her side.

"_Help."_ She repeated the word once more in the Demon's Tongue, and Skuld straightened, desperately waiting for further instructions.

A flash of determination swept through the youth, and the girl scrubbed her eyes. "Tell me what to do." She said. "Anything to help, just let me know how."

Something that might have been a smile flashed lightly across the demon's face, so fast that it was gone the instant Skuld began to suspect it was there, and the demon lightly jerked her head towards her. Hesitantly, Skuld approached, and Mara drew her feet up to her chest with all the strength she could muster. "Still." She ordered, repeating the word once more in her own language before once more attempting to draw herself up towards the rope.

This time, however, the blond moved to rest her feet on Skuld's shoulders, and catching on to Mara's idea Skuld remained absolutely still, wrapping her arms around the demons feet to help balance the woman.

It was hard. _Almighty_ it was hard. While used to heavy machinery, even Skuld knew the limits of her strength and when it was wiser to employ Banpei to lift something rather than attempt it herself. Had the robot been with her, this would have been one of those times. Mara had to at _least_ way twice her weight, most of which might have been the woman's attire just as easily as it might have been muscle mass. Skuld was not blind to the way Mara's arm muscles were straining against that rope, and it was no meager task to lift one's whole body with one arm, even if the distance was only a foot.

Even now, with her own body trembling, Skuld could feel the demon's own exertion causing Mara to shake as she pulled herself further up the rope. If she was actually managing to hold some of her own weight in her arms without relying too heavily on her legs, Mara was probably bearing about a fourth of her body weight with her left arm alone.

It still left Skuld with one-half too much weight on her shoulders. Feeling her body straining to hold the demon, Skuld looked up, eyes widening as she watched the demon rip and tear at the rope with her teeth. What was more, it looked like the woman was actually _succeeding_.

_Those fangs aren't just for show. _Skuld thought, watching mesmerized as the demon worried the rope to bare threads. Within minutes, Mara's arm was free, leaving the woman dangling by her own will alone.

"Go." Mara ordered, and obediently Skuld released her grip on the demon's legs, sliding out from beneath the demon even as the fanged woman removed her legs from the Norn's shoulders. Quickly, Skuld moved a short distance away, giving the demon ample room to land as Mara slowly eased herself to the ground. She didn't bother to hide the strain on her face nor the laborious panting, and as the demon's feet touched the ground Mara collapsed.

The woman fell face first to the ground, and as soon as her right arm struck the ground, a pained gasp departed her lips. Immediately the woman rolled to her left side, eyes wide and blinded in agony as she clutched the limb and curled in on herself. The demon panted vocally, and as Skuld moved to approach, Mara's head snapped up in a snarl, scaring the girl back. "_No."_ She wheezed. "_No._" More came after it, leaving Skuld at a loss of what the demon was trying to portray as the demon rolled onto her back, releasing her arm with a moan.

The demon laid like like that for several minutes, and for several minutes only the sound of Mara's breath was audible. Slowly, the worst of the gasps and moans began to fade, and Mara forced herself into a sitting position, resting heavily on her left arm as the right dangled like a wet noodle at her side. Leaning forward, the demon slowly extended her left arm before her, examining the new damage rendered before surprising Skuld and licking the wounds.

Skuld watched the demon work with a sort of mesmerized, disturbed bemusement. "That...doesn't look very sanitary." Skuld said, disgruntled. "Wouldn't it be better to wait until we got some soap and water? You're going to get sick, and that's on top of everything else!"

Mara ignored her.

Frustrated, Skuld ground her teeth. "Why are you _doing _that?" She snapped, and this time the demon looked up from her wounds.

"Clean." Mara said simply. "Heal. Fix." The demon hesitated a moment, then jerked her head to the left, beckoning Skuld to come near. Wearily, the girl moved closer, and Mara raised her left arm, directing her gaze to one wound that still bled freely. Skuld stared at it with a grimace, and Mara licked at it, removing the residue blood and leaving in its place nothing but a scab.

Dark eyes wide in surprise, the goddess leaned back with a start. "What is this...I don't even know-" Abruptly the youth silenced herself as memories arose unbidden of an earlier time, locked in a cell with a demon hovering close over the back of an injured mortal. "You...were you-to _Keiichi_?" Skuld did a rather convincing imitation of a fish, staring at Mara with mouth agape. "That's just..._no!_" The youth shuddered in disgust as images arose unbidden in her mind, causing the Norn to twitch uncontrollably. "Ewww_wwww..."_ She moaned.

Mara finished cleaning her arm, examining it critically with a small scowl and deliberately ignoring the bemoaning, raven-haired Norn. Seemingly satisfied with the results, the demon flexed and bent her arm, a small, approving smile on her face when there came no fiery backlash of pain or the tingling numbness that had originally engulfed it. The demon looked back at Skuld, who was making weird and funny faces at her. "_Highkinling._"

Immediately Skuld snapped to attention, and Mara motioned her near with her left arm. "Help up." She said, and Skuld grabbed the hand, pulling the demon up with a grunt. The blond stumbled with a pained, irritated hiss, and even as the youth released the fanged-woman's hand it shifted to rest heavily on Skuld's shoulder. The red-eyed woman bit out something Skuld was certain was an oath, and the dark-haired Norn could feel the woman's hand tremble against her shoulder.

Skuld frowned, biting her lip and surprising herself when it stung. The youth had forgotten how hard she'd bitten it. Ignoring the pain, the girl moved closer to Mara, ignoring the grumble that parted the woman's throat. "Lean on me." She said. "We'll get out of here together."

The woman stared at her from the corner of one eye. "Capture." She said, yet none the less Skuld felt more weight slide onto her shoulders.

Skuld shrugged. It was hard to do with Mara leaned up on her. "I know." She said simply. "But like I said before, we'll get out of here together." She looked up, and dark-brown eyes met fiery-red. "I was stupid to leave you guys like that. I'm not Belldandy or Urd, and...and I don't think I'd be able to do much without someone to help me." She confessed. "I suck at magic. They took all my weapons. And I blew up my own inventory of new bombs trying to kill a big, black monster." The Norn shook her head. "I'm not leaving you or Keiichi alone again. We all go or no one goes. It's not worth the pain..." The girl trailed off, hearing her voice waver unsteadily. She sniffed and swallowed, forcing the emotions back down. "...or the punishment."

Suddenly Mara's good arm wrapped around Skuld's torso, and Skuld felt herself pulled into a weak embrace. Startled, the goddess looked up, finding an almost soft smile on the demon's face as Mara stared down at her. "Little idiot _Kusshanti._" She murmured.

And for once Skuld didn't mind it. The smile kind of reminded her of Urd. It was almost reassuring. "It takes one to know one." She replied, and a tiny smile of her own arose on her face as Mara snorted and inclined her head in agreement.

"You is good kid, Skuld."

The two began walking towards the door, their pace slow. "Don't call me a kid, Mara." The youth said.

"_Kusshanti_, then."

Skuld looked up, finding the demon's eyes half-lidded with fatigue and exhaustion. "What's that mean?" She asked. "It better not be another word for 'kid'."

Yet the demon merely shook her head, the two coming to a pause outside the door. Skuld grunted as Mara bore down more of her weight on the girl, releasing the youth in favor of opening the door. The wood swung open soundlessly, and as Skuld had half-suspected, Loa was waiting for them in the outside hallway. Nor was he alone, judging by the many demons that filled either side of the hallway.

The man smiled at the duo in the threshold, straightening from where he'd been leaning against the door. His eyes drifted from Mara to Skuld, and when two pairs of dark eyes met, the man smiled viciously. "Give?" He asked, tipping his head to one side in curiosity. Skuld sent the man a smoldering glare, feeling her heart beginning to ram in her chest at the hungry glint in his eyes. Then she felt Mara squeeze her should firmly, as though sensing her distress, and some of her fear abated.

It took her a moment to realize the man was addressing the Skuld alone. The demon's gaze hadn't left hers since settling on the Norn, and so Skuld reluctantly nodded. "I give." She muttered. "I...you win." _This time._

Loa smirked, then beckoned with two demons forward with a hand. The man said something, pointing to Mara and then to Skuld, and the Norn's heart skipped a beat when she realized they meant to separate the two. "No!" She cried, backing up into Mara and causing the woman to grunt painfully, the fanged-demon brought back from where she'd been drifting in and out of consciousness. "Don't! Not after what you did to Mara!"

Yet the demons either ignored her or didn't understand her words, for one grabbed Skuld's arm while another moved to the injured woman on her back. This was bad. If they separated the two of them, what would happen to Mara? What would happen to _her_? What if they decided to kill Mara after finally getting Skuld back?

...What if they left her alone with Loa?

The thoughts were too terrifying to ignore, and Skuld struggled against the demons, forcing herself and Mara to back up into the room as the girl fought to keep their assailants at bay. Yet she was only one girl versus too many demons; her magic was failing her, she had no explosives, and there was a half-dead demon weighing her down. They overwhelmed Skuld easily, and helpless, they began to drag her away from Mara.

That was when the grip around her torso, her shoulder, tightened to the point of painful, and Mara released the most terrifying shriek-roar Skuld had heard since awakening in a cell. The reactions were immediate, as suddenly Skuld found herself alone with Mara once more. The demons who'd assaulted them both retreated a good distance, hooting and screaming warily to one another, and Mara released a vicious snarl.

Muttering to themselves and each other, the demons kept their distance, looking at one another uneasily and pointing at the two. Loa entered the room with a frown, and Skuld heard a growl so deep that she could feel the vibrations reverberating from Mara's chest. The demons exchanged words. What was exchanged Skuld didn't know, however she did know the words _Kusshanti_ and _Highkinling_ were used. Then Skuld had the joy of watching a flash of alarm traverse Loa's face when Mara used the phrase _Kusshanti, _and with it Loa raised his hands, signaling the others to draw back with a growl. Some of the demons laughed. Other snickered, while more still observed the duo in a mixture of pity, disbelief, and disgust.

Skuld wondered again at just what it was _Kusshanti _meant and what it was the two demons had spoken of.

The youth felt a weight settle on her head, and something pointy dug into her scalp. "Move." Mara said, from where she'd rested her chin atop Skuld's head. "Is safe. Go cell. _Fallkin_ touch no." A soft sigh parted the demon's lips, and Skuld felt Mara's grip on her shoulder lighten minutely. Readjusted her grip in the demon's good arm, Skuld moved forward once more. The words were enough of a reassurance to get her moving, and true to her word, none of the demons approached.

Loa turned away, looking pointedly over his shoulder at Skuld with a look that demanded obedience, before walking out of the room once more. Watching him disappear through the threshold and around the corner, Skuld squared her shoulders. _It's okay now. I've got Mara. I'm safe._

She followed after him.

The walk back was slow and incredibly haphazardly, yet through it all, no demon approached the youth. Loa lead. Skuld followed with Mara, and behind them the others finished the train, yet the demons at her back made no move either for or against her. And so it was the youngest of the Norns bore a full-grown demon back to their original imprisonment. Skuld recognized that some sort of covert deal must have been made between Mara and Loa, and respecting it, so too did the girl make no attempt to escape, nor pick any fights with the demons who growled and hissed angrily at her when she fell too far behind Loa.

The girl held her peace. Instead she focused on the world around her, observing openly the hallways and rooms they traversed through as they returned to the cells, integrating them into her mind for the future.

When they finally arrived at the cells, Loa opened them silently, the only word used being the one to denounce the spell guarding the wards, and then moved out of the way to allow Skuld and Mara entrance.

She could feel Loa's roaming eyes on her back with every step past him into the cell.

Then the gate swung shut with a moan, the wards were replaced, and the demons departed, leaving Skuld and Mara alone once more with Keiichi. The man must have fought off Mara's cloak in his sleep, for the cloth lay discarded off to one side, yet it looked like his wounds were healing based on how the swelling seemed to have gone down since last she looked at him. The man's slumber was easier too, not the rapid, erratic breaths of a sick man.

Deciding Keiichi could wait until after she'd helped Mara, Skuld moved to one of the cell corners, jostling Mara awake and allowing the woman to take her weight off the goddess in favor of the wall. The demon leaned heavily into the corner, and not so much sat as slid in a controlled fall to the ground with a sigh.

Her own exhaustion of the day catching up with her, Skuld slid down next to the demon with a sigh of her own. Deflated, Skuld drew her legs to her chest, resting her chin upon her knees and embracing her legs as the Norn examined the cracks in the floor. Absently, the girl shivered, her clothes, already cool from the heated effort of dragging Mara around, chilling her painfully. For a moment the youth considered Mara's cloak, since Keiichi seemed to have decided to thrown it away in his fever, but that would require her to move, and right then Skuld wanted nothing more than to rest.

An arm snake around her shoulders, and Skuld found she didn't resist as Mara drew her closer. "Is nice shot, _Kusshanti._" The demon murmured, and despite herself Skuld felt tears she'd thought long since shed well up in her eyes. "You did good, Skuld."

The youth blinked, fighting through the tears and finding instead only more coming. "What do we do now?" The goddess whispered, allowing herself to lean into the demon's side and finding the woman didn't resist. Mara was warm. Too warm for a human. Warm like the air in the vent after the explosion or the heat of a near-by fire. It was making her sleepy, and Skuld could feel her eyelids drooping as her own fatigue spread throughout her body.

"We rest. We try again. We goes farther."

"But-"

"Sleep, Skuld."

The youth looked up, and in the darkness of the cell Mara's eyes glowed red once more. "Is safe. Sleep now. Try later."

For once in her life, Skuld found herself too tired to argue. Besides, sleep sounded like a good idea right about now.

And so Skuld slept.

* * *

_The air was a cool, thick mist that engulfed him, and through it all, he saw small snippets of his life made real. The birth of his sister, his first and only dog, watching his father obsess over a bike and in turn passing that passion to him. Elementary school, High school, college. Belldandy._

_Belldandy._

_Belldandy._

_And then pain._

_It caused his body to shudder and spasm, and quickly he shied away from the memories. He was tired of the sick feeling in his chest and in his head. He was tired of the way his back burned and his lungs screamed for air. But he needed to wait. Belldandy was coming, he was certain. If he just stayed where he was with the memories, with the voices that sometimes rose within the mist as familiar to him, he'd be okay and Belldandy would find him. _

_He was certain of it._

_But after the monster that was Hild and was not Hild, Keiichi was beginning to doubt his own conviction._

_And that doubt opened the gates of something else._

_For within the mist, something drew near, a human silhouette created by the mist itself. It grew thicker, darker, and with form, and where once the blurry outline of a human approached instead a man appeared. His face was familiar. He could see pieces of himself within the man, and for a moment it seemed as though he was beholding himself in a mirror before he recognized the apparition._

"_Grandpa?"_

_And the ghost of a man thirty years dead smiled._

* * *

_Ever tried? Ever failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.-Samuel Beckett_

_Comments of a Madwoman: The shadows of our own minds give rise to the most horrid of monsters. They come in many forms, yet it is always the monster wearing the guise of a human that shall forever remain the most terrifying._


	31. Hotaru-No-Suke

Angel Biter 31

Hotaru-No-Suke

Mara: **_Ma'ra_** _noun_ [ Icelandic _mara_ nightmare, an ogress. See Nightmare .] _(Norse Myth.)_ A female demon who torments people in sleep by crouching on their chests or stomachs, or by causing terrifying visions.

* * *

"So that's it, eh?" Urd peered through the binoculars with a frown, observing the old fortress from where she lay hidden on a large plateau overlooking the old, dead fortress. The demon frowned. "It looks as dead as the rest of this place though..." The ex-Norn trailed off, dropping her gaze as she felt a warm body lean into her. Looking to the source the demon found Amon at her side, staring up at her with golden eyes and panting heavily. Absently the bronze woman reached over and ran a hand through the wolf-snake's thick fur, scratching through the coarse hairs and to the soft downy coat beneath, causing the beast to groan happily.

The silver-haired demon caught a flash of movement further down the small outcropping, and Urd watched as Caim and Glasya-Labolas slid away from their vantage point. Upon catching her eye Caim motioned her over as well, and after one final glance over to the fortress containing Skuld and Keiichi, Urd turned away and followed after.

The group of four had buried their bags in the sand, thanks in no small part to Amon and Labolas's hound avatar. Purgatory was hotter than the Sahara at midsummer, yet Amy seemed to know it like the back of his hand, and before the group of four had set out to stoke Vikoka's haunting grounds out, he'd prepared them all as best he could.

"There's nothing I can really do for Amon." He explained. "Amon is Amon. He cannot return to his original body-only an avatar of an avatar. He is better as he is now, for his senses are keener than any among us. Yet his fur is thick and the heat is vicious, so you will need to take extra reserves of water for him." The redhead handed Urd a large bag. It jingled as she slipped it onto her shoulders. "Keep it as deep underground as you can. In that way you can ensure the water stays cool without the use of magic. This land hungers for nothing if not blood and magic, and so it is all Sir Furcas can do just to bring water up from any underground wells we find. Spelling the canteens to keep cool will do nothing but feed the land and draw things we don't want."

Urd nodded. "Right. No magic." The Goetia had instructed her to change her clothes before entering the Deadlands as well. Now, like them, the ex-goddess was adorned in soft, warm pastels to help reflect the sunlight. Not white, however. White blinded in the light of Purgatory and stood out just as badly as black. On top of that it was the color of the gods and of Asgard. Only traitors wore pure white. That and Valu had threatened to hog-tie her if Urd even considered wearing the color amongst the Goetia. Urd thought he was joking until he'd shrugged and withdrawn a rope before having his three-headed dragon hold her down with one paw.

_That_ had not been a fun experience. _"I've always wanted to try bondage..."_ The words echoed in her mind, and the demon shivered reflexively despite the heat. "So that's what it feels like." She muttered beneath her breath. _Karma's a bitch._

Labolas looked up at her, head tilted to the side in a manner similar to his doggy avatar. "What feels like what?" He asked.

Urd shook her head. "Nothing." She replied. "Just the mutterings of a madwoman." She'd forgotten how good Dog-man's hearing was.

Labolas grinned at her in amusement and returned his attention to the boulder Caim was heading towards. The dark man whistled and if Urd squinted she could see the pair of glowing red eyes that appeared in the small crack beneath the rock. The owner, one of Valu's dragon's, shimmied out with an identical chirp in the form of a pale blur that raced across the heated sand towards Urd. The woman flinched as she felt tiny claws latch hold of baggy clothing as it scurried up her body, and then the dragon was perched on her shoulder with the aid of the many folds of loose cloth. The creature observed her with all the cold, contemplative stare of a serpent and absentmindedly Urd ran a hand down the length of its neck, enjoying the cool, uniquely-bumpy feel of its beaded hide. _Like a lizard. No scales. Not like a snake._

Its body was a chilling presence at her back, and beneath the heated sun it was comforting, despite its connection to Valu. The demon smiled, meeting its icy blue eyes with violet. "I'm flattered that you enjoy a woman's company so much." She told it. "However I think there is another who would appreciate this cool body of yours more." She pointed to Amon, whose movements were slow and labored in the desert heat. "Why don't you give ol' He of the Fur Coat a break?"

The little dragon cocked its head to one side, a split tongue darting out to taste the air. Then it was off without a word, gliding through the air to Amon, where it came to rest on the wolf's back. Unlike Urd, the beast didn't flinch as the reptile scurried across it's body, taking up residence on the wolf's back and fanning its wings out on top black fur like a second skin.

The wolf sighed, and for a moment it almost looked like Amon was giving her an appreciative smile.

Yet wolves were incapable of such expressions and when Urd blinked the look was gone, replaced once more with a panting wolf-snake adorned with a dragon.

The demon turned her attention back to her more human companions, finding them both staring at her oddly. "What?"

Caim shook his head and returned to moving the large boulder, yet as Glasya-Labolas assisted him, the gray hair man commented, "What you did for Amon-that was rather generous, Bright Lady." He grunted, and Urd winced at the nickname. It had spread throughout the other Goetia, and now she was lucky if they called the ex-Norn by her true name. "Most demons would have kept something like that for themselves considering where we are. Everyone knows how a dragon's body is colder than most to help keep control of its inner fire. In such as heated environment as we're in now, having a dragon like that on your shoulder is a priceless gift."

Urd raised a silver brow. _I suppose that explains why Valu stayed behind with the others. Old Man Furcas looked like he was going to catch fire with how red he was getting in this land's sun._ Vaguely and image of the remaining Goetia piling up beneath Valu's two headed dragon came to mind, and Urd shook her head in amusement. "So what's your point?"

"Don't let that kindness get the better of you." Caim chirped, his voice as high as his avatar and at odds coming from such a tall, dark, lanky body. "Shit like that will leave others to take advantage of you mercilessly. Demons take. They rarely give. Not unless something of equal value is given in return. That is why we make contracts rather than grant wishes. If you give, we will take and take and take until there is nothing left for you to give. Remember that."

Urd rolled her eyes with a sigh. "It's not like I needed the damned dragon." She growled. "Regardless of what you all seem to think, this land isn't really that hot." She played. "How do you know I wasn't simply trying to get rid of Valu's dragon?" She asked in a softer voice, approaching the duo and crossing her arms across her chest. "And how is that any different from getting water for Amon?"

Caim shook his head, and Labolas shrugged. "It is necessary to give Amon water as he is an asset to our team." The man explained. "Amon's ears and nose are far greater than my own, and his venom can be a potent and silent killer to those who are our enemies. Because of that, it's important that he stays alive and able bodied."

"A useless demon has no place within the ranks of Goetia." Caim finished softly. "A useless demon holds no rank, no title in Niflheim. They are lower than the earth itself, for even the earth proves useful in giving us something to tread on. A useless demon is nothing, and is treated as nothing until he proves to be something. Only those that prove the most beneficial are granted any amount of power. And so we ensure that those who _are_ remain useful to us." The man sent the new demon a stern look. "You'd do well to remember that, Bright Lady."

Urd raised a silver brow. "That's some way to show you care." She muttered under her breath, causing Labolas to send her a glare. The demon ignored it in favor of leaning against the boulder hiding the hole their bags were stowed under. "Well, in that case, we might as well grab that water for Amon then. Like you said, we don't want a useless demon, right?" The bronze woman smiled over-sweetly, causing the duo to give her uncomfortable glances. Then Labolas shrugged and moved to the boulder as well. After a moment's hesitation, Caim followed as well, and together the trio of demons leaned against the stone. As one they pressed against it, grunting as they fought to move the weight away from the hole.

After a moment, the stone loosened before it slowly began to slide across the sand, grinding coarsely against the ground. The boulder was heavy and the sand loose, and more than once any one of the three demons slipped or stumbled in the fine grains. Yet none the less the stone moved, the hole they'd made gradually appearing as a black crescent moon in a negative perversion of the night sky. The crescent slowly grew larger as a waxing moon, until finally a black half-moon appeared.

The Goetia stopped there. Any further and the trio risked stepping into the hole in the stress of pushing the boulder. It wasn't very big, being only half of what they'd made, but it was large enough for someone small or thin to slip inside. Panting, Labolas and Caim centered their gaze on Urd, and the silver-haired demon stared back with a raised brow. When their looks didn't waiver, the Norn sighed. "Fine, fine. I'll get it." She growled.

Muttering obscurities under her breath, the demon kneeled next to the hole and peered inside. Nothing but darkness greeted her, and with a shake of the head Urd slid first one, then the other leg inside. Mindful of the large boulder, the bronze woman carefully slipped inside, momentarily disappearing from sight. The ex-Norn grunted as she hit the ground within, and with only a half-moon of light to guide her, began feeling around the bags beneath her until she came across the heaviest. The woman hoisted the bag over her head in offering, and after a moment it's weight lightened before disappearing completely, leaving the sun to bath her head in its rays.

The sand was too unreliable to allow her to climb out on her own, something all demons present knew, and after a moment two pairs of arms lowered themselves into the pit as well. Caim and Labolas were dark silhouettes against the sun. Urd reached up to grab them, feeling hands wrap around her arms and hoist her upwards. "Watch your head, Bright Lady." Caim grunted, causing Urd to watch the looming boulder from the corner of her eye with apprehension. Yet the woman rose from the hole without error and within moments it was over, leaving Urd at the edge of the hole once more.

Caim was gone almost immediately, heading towards the pack to grab water for Amon, yet Labolas stayed for a moment to spare her a glance. "Having fun yet?" He asked and Urd sent him a glare. The demon laughed before offering the woman a hand, pink and matted with gray in a reflection of his canine-self.

After a moment's hesitation the silver-haired Norn accepted the hand and with a grunt Labolas hoisted the demon to her feet. "Oodles." The bronze Norn muttered, wiping the sand from her pants. "I'll have even more fun when we actually make a move. I've got a wee bit of stress that I need to relieve, and I'm sure Vikoka and Loa will be more than happy to help." The woman shook her head in frustration. "I just hate standing around and doing nothing!"

Labolas regarded her carefully. "You know why we only watch now, right?"

The demon sighed, running a hand through her short hair. "Yes." She growled out. "I understand fully. You want to do reconnaissance on the facility to observe any patterns of life. That way we can more easily find any weak points in their guard and use that to our advantage when we actually strike."

The Goetia graced her with another smile. "Good." He said. "Glad to hear those late-night chats with with ol' Furcas are actually teaching you something." The man dug into a pocket, withdrawing something small and long. The man offered it to her. "Here." He said. "We want you to keep hold of this."

Taking the object, Urd examined it. The object was a long, straight, and hollow. A blow hole was carved into the top, and one of the ends rounded and shaved into a mouthpiece. "What is it?" It seemed to be made of bone, looking like a small, musical instrument a parent would give their child for entertainment. "I hope you don't expect me to start playing music for you guys now. You boys never struck me as the musical type."

Labolas snorted. "You'd be surprised." He played. "Valu can play the flute like you wouldn't believe, but that's another story." The man gestured to the item. "What you have there is a Nomed Whistle. It's used to bring sanity to those lost in blood lust."

Urd toyed with the whistle, a silver brow raised in doubt. "Is that so?" She asked. "So why are you giving it to me?" Her curiosity getting the better of her, the demon brought the whistle to her lips.

"Don't you blow that thing here, Urd." Labolas warned, surprising the Norn by using her actual name over the nickname gifted to her by Valu. "What you have there is something we all consider rather dangerous, especially to anyone who _isn't _lost in blood lust.

Silver brows furrowed together in confusion as Urd brought the whistle away from her mouth. "How is it dangerous?" She asked. "And why in the Yggdrasil's name are you entrusting it to _me_?"

The Goetia frowned. "Among the Goetia, you learn that there are a couple traits that many demons have." He explained. "One of 'em is the Sight, or the ability to see into the future. A couple of us have it, though it varies in strength in accordance with the demon." The man hesitated. "What's more is that we've been getting reports from some DEMINT...and...there's a high possibility that we'll be running into a situation where that whistle will be needed."

Urd sent the man a dirty look. "That doesn't tell me anything." She pointed out.

"It's Marller." Caim approached, backpack strapped to one arm as he drew near. Amon was further behind, rapidly lapping at a bowl of water while Valu's dragon looked on. Glancing over his shoulder at the two beasts, Caim nodded to the boulder before heading towards it. Following behind the dark man, the small pack of demons moved behind the large rock.

Safely out of view from the more beastly members of the team, Caim continued. "There is a chance that the Marller we greet will not be one who can distinguish friend from foe." He pointed to the whistle, still resting in Urd's grip. "The Nomed Whistle rouses those whose sanity sleeps, and those with the Sight have seen evidence of its use."

Urd frowned, feeling a shiver race down her spine. "What the hell are you talking about?" She demanded, voice low and cold.

Labolas and Caim looked at one another, seeming to communicate some hidden message only the Goetia knew. Finally Labolas spoke. "There are times..." He started, choosing his words carefully. "When a demon who is granted an avatar over a devil has...issues. To allow oneself to hold an avatar is to allow oneself to devolve into the beast that is written in that demon's genetic code, yet still maintain the Higher Self necessary for rational thought."

"For this to be achieved, a demon must be stable on all aspects of himself. He must be sane. He must hold no inner turmoil. He must be accepting of who and what he is. For him to be unstable on any one aspect of his Higher Self is to risk loosing himself to the instincts that are the avatar, the Other Half."

"Amon became one of them." Caim commented. "As did Goetia Vassago. Marller holds the same risk when her avatar is accessible."

The words struck her like a bolt of lightning. "Your saying that Mara-Marller-is unstable?" Urd hissed. "And she's in there-_alone_-with my youngest _sister!?" _Her words came out in a near-scream, and as one Caim and Labolas tackled her, shoving the Norn against the boulder and silencing her with two different sets of hands.

"Keep it quiet, Bright Lady." Labolas whispered. "There are certain things that certain demons must be made unaware of."

"Valu's relationship with Marller is strong, Bright Lady." Caim took over. "And those dragons are his eyes and ears. If word came to him of our possessing the Nomed Whistle, he would go out of his way to sabotage any plans involving it."

"You mean he doesn't even know you have this damned thing?"

"If he did there would be no whistle for us to give you, Bright Lady."

The man's words were not reassuring, and as the Goetia released her once more, Urd found herself staring down at the little bone whistle. "What exactly does this thing do that would scare Valu enough into wrecking his group's own plans?" She whispered hotly.

For a moment neither demon spoke. Caim sighed. "The whistle forcibly awakens the conscious from where it sleeps. A demon who's lost himself to instinct can be rendered to his senses once more; however, for those too far gone, such as Amon, it will do nothing but injure the mind."

"And you're thinking that there's a possibility that that window of time will have come and gone before we reach her." Both Goetia nodded, and Urd pursed her lips. "And that in blowing this damned whistle, we'll harm her rather than help her, giving Valu ample reason to destroy this thing."

The two demons held their peace and Urd ran a hand through her hair. "Well isn't _this_ just a wonderful surprise." She said nastily. _My best friend turns out to be an unstable nut and my baby sister is locked in a cell with her. On top of that the giant fucking dragon that is related to her could go rouge and sabotage all our efforts to save them without a second thought. _"Yggdrasil damn it and Nidhogg bless it, are we ever going to get a break?"

* * *

Skuld awoke stiff, sore, and warm. Blinking tired eyes, the youth stared into the darkness of the cell, finding her eyes more easily adapting to the shades and shadows than upon her initial arrival in the cell. An arm was drooped around her shoulders, and somewhere in the past several hours since falling asleep Mara had shifted positions. The raven-haired Norn now rested in-between the demons legs, lying against Mara's chest. The demon was a warm, familiar presence at the youth's back, yet she could hear the labored breaths rising from the blonde's chest. Uncomfortably the youth wondered to what extent the fanged woman had been injured, and just as quickly she pushed it aside. Dwelling on it now would not change or help anything.

A small frown on her face, the youth scanned the cell, noticing a couple of bowls resting near the cell gate but seeing nothing else out of place. Curiosity getting the better of her the young Norn slid out of Mara's grip, relieved to find that the demon didn't automatically awaken at her movement. The woman needed her rest after what she'd been through and it wasn't like the strange bowls were going to contain some demon within their contents.

Besides, she didn't see any other demons around; particularly Loa. So long as _that _one was missing, Skuld felt fairly secure in her cell.

Moving over towards the bowls, Skuld sniffed the air. Something that smelled vaguely of broth returned to her nose. Tipping her head to one side, the youth picked one of the bowls up. "Soup?" She asked aloud, wondering how long the liquid had been there. Obviously a while, considering how cool the bowls were. Skuld shrugged. Food was food and the lass couldn't remember the last time she'd eaten. The very scent of it caused her stomach to complainloudly, and the youth dipped a finger in one of the bowls to ensure it was indeed soup.

Upon licking her finger, the Norn gagged. "This...this isn't soup." She muttered, wiping her mouth on her arm as she placed it down and stepped away from it. "It-it tastes like motor oil! They can't really expect us to eat this stuff, can they?"

No one answered her, and so with a huff the youth turned away from the bowls, suddenly without appetite once more. "I'd sooner eat something Urd made than that stuff." She grumbled, turning her attention instead towards Keiichi.

The man hadn't moved since she'd fallen asleep, Mara's cloak still lying discarded at his side. Sighing, the Norn approached the man, gathering the cloak in her arms and disliking the stiff quality it had to it. "This can't be a good thing." She muttered, yet none the less proceeded to cover the man's torso once more. "Try not to kick this thing off, okay Keiichi?" She instructed him. "Mara gave you it to keep warm, and I think she'd be pretty mad to know you weren't using it considering how sick you are."

Keiichi didn't respond, and Skuld frowned, hesitantly moving a hand to rest on his shoulder. It felt too cold for one wracked so heavily with fever. "Listen, hang in there, okay? We'll find a way out of here. We'll get you some real help and then we can go see Belldandy and Urd, and I promise I won't beat on you until you're all patched up and feverless again and back to normal, okay?"

Keiichi's silence was disturbing, and the youth's frown deepened. "Keiichi?" A pale hand moved from the mortal's shoulder to his forehead, and black brows furrowed together in a deepening concern. It was cold. Too cold. That same hand then trailed down to the man's throat, and Skuld's breath caught in her chest.

"MARA!" Skuld screamed, bolting upright and racing to the demon in question. The blond awoke alert at once, and heedless of the fanged woman's injuries Skuld collided with the wounded demon, smashing small, desperate fists against her chest. "You need to do something, you need to do something!" The youth screamed. "Keiichi-he isn't-_please!" _She begged.

How long had he been like this? She was certain he'd been fine before falling asleep...when had it happened? How long had she been sleeping? At what point did Keiichi...

Beneath her fists Mara dodged her blows in futility, causing the demon to grunt and hiss and growl in both pain and her native tongue. Yet whatever words the blonde was trying to communicate to the Norn fell on deaf ears. "Please Mara! You've got to do something! Help him!" The raven-haired child paused in her panicked attack, pointing towards Keiichi and watching as slit red eyes darted to the man in question.

Those same eyes then narrowed, and with her good hand Mara shoved the youth away and unsteadily rose to her feet. Too desperate, too terrified to care, Skuld grabbed that same hand and half-lead, half-dragged the injured demon to Keiichi's dormant form.

"Bring him back." The young Norn's voice wavered. "Please, I don't care how you do it, just bring him back."

If Mara even understood what Skuld was saying, the demon did a remarkable job of ignoring it, instead sinking to the floor gracelessly beside Keiichi and resting a hand on one shoulder. Skuld watched in urgency as the demon examined Keiichi, feeling his throat, hissing angrily and examining the wounds on his back. With a grunt she rolled him over, moving to rest her head against his chest only to snap up with an angry snarl.

The woman wheeled around to face Skuld, eyes raging. "_You!" _ She roared, lunging at the youth and earning a frightened scream from Skuld in return. The demon's good hand wrapped around the collar of Skuld's shirt, and the demon yanked the Norn forwards. "Hands." The blonde snapped, releasing the girl only to snatch hold of one of the child's wrists, thrusting it down on Keiichi's bare chest.

Mara then bore her weight down on Skuld's hand, only to alleviate the pressure and bare down once more not a second later. Terrified, Skuld watched on in panicked confusion, hand throbbing as Mara started a rhythm on Keiichi's chest. Then the blonde paused, releasing Skuld's hand and placing her ear to the man's breast once more. The frown on Mara's face deepened, and the demon shifted to press her lips against Keiichi's mouth.

Skuld felt Keiichi's body swell beneath her hands, and only then did the pale Norn realize the demon was trying to resuscitate him. When Mara removed her mouth from Keiichi and glared at Skuld, the raven-haired youth quickly moved to press down on the man's chest, imitating what Mara had tried to communicate to her not a minute beforehand.

"Stop!" Mara snarled, and Skuld froze, watching as once more the demon attempted to breath some sort of life into the man.

"Go!" She announced, and once more Skuld frantically pushed down on his chest, praying to Yggdrasil, to the Almighty, to any god of life or death that Keiichi would return to them.

"Stop!"

"Go!"

Like some horrid game of Red Light, Green Light, the two continued their efforts, and with each shout, with each attempt, Skuld felt a small piece of herself grow closer and closer to death.

"Stop!"

This wasn't happening. Keiichi wasn't supposed to die. Not after all they'd been through. Not after all _she'd _ been through for his sake.

"Go!"

Belldandy was going to be crushed. She could see it already. They'd get out without Keiichi and return to Belldandy and her big sister would...Belldandy would...

"Stop!"

Her eyes were burning again, and Skuld could feel moisture dot her hand like raindrops. Only they were inside, and there was no magic within the cell that could produce any rainclouds.

"Go!"

What the hell where the Underworld Deities thinking? Didn't they know who Keiichi was? Didn't they know what he meant to Belldandy? The couldn't take his soul away! Not yet, not when they still had a chance at freedom!

"Stop!"

Mara placed her head to his chest once more, and Skuld sat panting, watching as red eyes closed in concentration only to fling open once more. The blonde froze, gaze tilting down to Keiichi, before shutting her eyes once more, brows furrowed and a scowl on her face as though seeking to block out the rest of the world.

The youth stared with bated breath, squirming uncomfortably as she waited for some signal to begin again. When a minute passed of nothing but silence, the raven-haired youth dared to speak. "Mara? Is Keiichi...is he..."

The demon's eyes snapped open, and a violent snarl escaped her throat. "Idiot!" She roared, and it wasn't until the woman rose and began pounding her good hand against Keiichi's chest that Skuld realized the words weren't directed towards her. "_I never said you could ama__šu_!" The woman screamed, howling words Skuld recognized and many more she didn't, all the while beating on the mortal's chest as though he'd become her new punching bag.

The sudden violence was frightening to behold until Skuld caught the look of sheer desperation in the woman's eyes.

Then it became utterly terrifying.

The woman shifted, rising to her knees and throwing a leg over Keiichi's body. Straddling his torso, the demon rested her weight on his stomach. Mara bared her teeth down at the man in rage, the desperate look in her eyes never leaving the blonde's heated gaze.

Sensing something about to happen, Skuld roused from her stupor. "Mara, what are you doing!?" She screamed, reaching out to grab Mara's arm only for the limb to be torn from her grip. A blur collided with her face, and Skuld's cheek blossomed into an angry red from where the blond struck her. Stunned, the youth fell to her rump, clutching her burning cheek as she stared at the demon in bafflement. "Mara-Keiichi is...what are you-"

A beastly snarl, so similar to the one Mara had portrayed to Loa and his men in the room from before, erupted from her throat, and Skuld froze. The look on the woman's face was more anamalistic than human. It almost looked as thought Mara was going to turn those fangs on _her_.

"Sssstop..." The demon hissed, panting as the red-eyed demon glared at the youth. "Back. Stay. Back." A deep warning growl reverberated in the woman's throat, and against her own wishes Skuld quickly did as ordered, dark eyes wide in a mixture of fear and worry over not only Keiichi, but Mara's new temperament as well.

"Mara, what's wrong with you?" The youth demanded, pressing herself up against a wall as she eyed the demon with trepidation.

Mara shook her head, another growl emanating from her chest. "Back." She repeated. "I Danger." She pressed her good hand against her chest, and for the first time Skuld took note of how the nails on the woman's hand were elongate and pointed, curling into hooks that snagged the cloth of her shirt. The Norn stared, concern rising in her chest over what could have instigated such a drastic change as to alter the demon's hand.

For a long moment neither conscious occupants spoke. Nothing but the sound of Mara's labored breathing and Skuld's soft pants filled the cell. Finally, after a small eternity, Skuld gathered her courage. "...What are you going to do to Keiichi?"

Mara closed her eyes, the only source of light in the cell. When she opened them once more, Skuld thought she could almost make out the slit pupils of the demon's eyes. "I bring back." She said simply.

The woman's breath came faster then, and Skuld watched in horror as what could only be magic slowly began to condense around the demon's body. "Mara, stop-what are you doing!? Don't you know what-"

The girl was cut off by a scream from Mara as electricity suddenly struck. White-hot bolts of plasma danced across the blonde's body, arching off her and onto Keiichi's still form as well. The demon's body spasmed sickeningly, and the magic around Mara's body vanished as the fanged woman lost consciousness. The electricity vanished as suddenly as it appeared, and despite herself Skuld scrambled towards the duo as Mara's body collapsed on top of Keiichi's. "Mara!"

The youth raced to check the demon's pulse, placing a two finger's against the fallen demon's neck. It wasn't until she felt a pulse that Skuld allowed herself to release the breath she'd been holding. Relief flooded her being, and the young Norn sagged beside her two cell mates. Easing herself into a sitting position beside the demon and mortal, Skuld ran a hand through her hair. "What the hell were you thinking!?" The youth demanded. Her body was trembling. "How is electrifying yourself going to help Keiichi, huh?" She demanded. "Are you _trying_ to kill yourself, you big idiot?" Despair took root in the little Norn's chest, making it hard to breath. Two small fists collided with the unconscious Mara's back. "Don't leave me here alone!"

"Now Lass, that's no way to talk in your current situation. If you lose hope now, you'll never survive to see the sun again." A voice, hauntingly familiar, arose in the darkness.

Skuld froze, and her hands slowly fell from her face, head tilting to observe the bleachers above her. "No...please no...it can't be..."

Three pairs of eyes; gold, red, and blue, stared down at her. The Red Crow tilted its head to one side in curiosity, and next to it the Black Crow fluttered its wings restlessly. "Speaking of which," it commented, "Why is a god child locked in one of our cells with a demon and a mortal, anyways?"

A cold, dark chill raced down Skuld's spine. _ This can't be happening...They were killed...I watched the Daimakaicho tear The Black Crow apart!_

_But...if the Black Crow is here, alive...then wouldn't that mean-_

Outside her cell, a mass of shadows began to growl.

* * *

"_G-grandpa?" Keiichi Morisato stared in disbelief at the man before him, wondering, hoping, praying his eyes were deceiving him. Yet though he blinked, though he rubbed his eyes, the man before him did not change in appearance nor vanish into oblivion._

_Hotaru-No-Suke looked as young as ever. Perhaps a few years older than when Keiichi Morisato had last seen him in a photo with a hotel girl, yet far from the older, white-haired man that was his father. The man smiled. "It's nice to finally meet you, Keiichi." He said. "It feels like I've been waiting an eternity to see a direct relative of mine, yet you've surprised me in being outlived by Little Tanako." The man sighed regretfully. "It is always a sad day when a parent outlasts their child."_

_The words shocked Keiichi, and the young man stared at his elder in horror. "What are you talking about?" He demanded. I'm not dead!"_

"_Oh?" Hotaru tilted his head to one side. "Then why are you so close to the borderlands of Yomi, Young One?" _

"_How would I know?" Keiichi blurted. "You must be mistaken though." He insisted. "Belldandy is waiting for me. I can't leave her waiting by dying."_

_Hotaru nodded. "Ah, yes...the _Gaigin _woman." The man scratched his cheek in a manner that immediately reminded Keiichi of his mother. "Unfortunately the _Gaigin _isn't coming."_

_The young man tensed. "You don't know that."_

_His elder released a sharp bark of laughter. "Don't know what? That your woman is not human? That she has the power to destroy worlds is she so wished?" The older man's eyes narrowed. "Or that despite her strength and power, your Belldandy holds no authority in the realms of the dead?" The man sighed, regarding Keiichi as though he was a young, ignorant child. "She can't reach you here Keiichi, nor does her position as a goddess have so much sway that she can come mosey on down here and take you away to Never Never Land." _

_Keiichi grit his teeth, hands curling into fists. "So then why are you here?" He asked. "If I'm as dead as you claim, what's the point of you coming here?"_

"_'The point' is that you're different from everyone else, Keiichi." The man growled. "Those touched by the hands of the divine-or the damned-are rare cases. They require special treatment, and my employer decided I'd be best suited to bringing you to Yomi."_

"_Your employer?"_

_Hotaru nodded. "Yes. The dead, as you'll come to learn, are divided amongst the Underworld rulers. They act in the place of Kings and Emperors, Presidents and Tyrants, and beneath them are the spirits who act as my employer." The man ran a hand through his hair. "It's not easy keeping track of so many deceased souls. The Underworlds work on the same rules as the Overworlds, be they the Assiah itself, the Heavens, or even the Hells."_

"_But you-having been Touched, are an anomaly. No one is sure where someone like you belongs, despite the fact that you're still human. From what I know, you go someplace not even the Underworld Guardians can touch you; however, because your woman wasn't around for you upon your death, I was sent to retrieve you. The normal Gate doesn't appear to those who've been touched as it did me, and none of the Guardians want to risk loosing your soul by wandering aimlessly without guidance."_

_Keiichi frowned. "So this is all for my safety?" He asked. "Then what happens if I'm with you in the Underworld and Belldandy comes to retrieve me? What happens then? Am I to believe your 'employer' is going to simply let me go?"_

_Hotaru shook his head. "Nope." He replied. "If you go to the Underworld, you stay in the Underworld. Unless your woman has some connections with any of the Underworld deities, your soul will belong in Yomi with its ancestors."_

_The youth rubbed his chin in thought. "So what happens if I just decide to stay here?" He asked. "Not wandering around, not exploring, not going with you; just staying right here, in this very spot until Belldandy comes." The young man looked around, finding a relatively large boulder near and moving to sit on top of it. "If I promise to stay right here on this rock, will you return to Yomi without me?"_

_Hotaru raised a dark brow before shaking his head. "Kids these days." He muttered. In a louder voice he said, "It's not going to happen, Keiichi." The older soul waved his arm around him. "Look around you. What do you see?" _

_The land was filled with a gentle mist that seemed to cling to Keiichi's feet; moist and cold, it chilled him to the bone despite the pants he wore. Above his head a blue-violet night sky rested, speckled with dots of light that Keiichi originally took for stars but now was uncertain of. A streak of light that might have been a shooting star descended across the horizon, and grimly Keiichi wondered if he'd gain a wish from spotting it._

_Around him nothing but rocks and boulders rested, sleeping for an eternity on loose gravel that ground beneath his feet with every step. He could see no grass or weeds, no trees or bushes or even bodies of water. Nothing but a landscape made of rock._

"_You're in the Borderlands between your human body and the various Underworld realms." Hotaru continued. "Nothing living exists here, but a whole lot of things that aren't make up the denizens of this wasteland." The man stared at Keiichi with critical brown eyes. "Sure I could leave you." He said. "I could leave you and return empty handed to my commander, make up some excuse that your woman came right as I was about to take you away and leave you here to do whatever you want."_

"_But shit doesn't work that way, Morisato. I leave you here, the creatures that live in these gaps between realms; these lost, wandering souls who never had a Gate to guide 'em or a guide to watch over them, will start to realize that someone else is in their territory. And believe me Boy, they don't take too kindly to trespassers in their territory."_

"_So the question now is," The man approached Keiichi, and grimly the younger man refused to move, meeting Hotaru's gaze squarely. "Are you willing to risk those beasts for a goddess that might not come?"_

"_Yes." For a man like Keiichi, the answer was obvious, and the young man stood his ground even as a flash of anger passed across his grandfather's face. "Yes." He repeated. "If it's for Belldandy, I'll wait an eternity for her. I don't care about any spirits that might dwell here. I don't care about what might come looking for me if I refuse to leave this rock." The man smiled, dark eyes determined. "Belldandy will come for me. I don't need anyone else trying to convince me otherwise."_

_Hotaru pulled back with a sneer on his face. "You're a damned fool, Morisato." He spat. "Which is why I'm going to take you back with me whether you like it or not. That woman your so stubbornly waiting for is precisely why you're in this situation in the first place. Or have you forgotten the many demons that tore apart your life?_

"_And have you forgotten the women you left behind?" Keiichi countered aggressively. "I love Belldandy, and that may have caused some chaos in my life because of who and what she is, but I'll take my loyalty to the woman I love over the betrayal that I've seen in you." The youth leaned in close to his elder, his voice low. "At least I keep my promises to the women who love me so much. Can you say the same about Grandma, who never took another husband when you left her alone and pregnant? About that hotel girl you promised to give a ride around the lake with? Or have you been blinded by your pride and honor to have forgotten just how you died, Old Man?"_

_Hotaru froze, the expressions on his face melting into carefully set stone. "You'd best watch your mouth, Boy." He warned. "You're touching dangerous waters now, and I won't be held responsible for anything you instigate me into."_

"_Then stop trying to insult Belldandy." Keiichi said in turn. "I love her, and even though she's stronger than me by far, I won't have anyone disrespecting her when she's not around to defend herself." The man's eyes' narrowed. "Especially when it's right to my face."_

_For a long time the two men did nothing but stare at each other in challenge, each daring the other to make the first move. Then, slowly, a smile dawned on Hotaru's face. The man chuckled, catching Keiichi off guard. "It seems you're not as spineless as I originally thought." He mumbled. "Yet courage alone is not enough, Keiichi. Not here. Not in the world you want to return to. In the world your woman is in, power is the only thing respected." The man smirked. "So tell me this, Son of my daughter: Do you have the strength to back up that courage?"_

_Keiichi remained silent, his gaze never leaving Hotaru's matching brown eyes. The elder nodded. "I see." He murmured, before launching a fist at Keiichi's head. Instincts honed long ago from lessons with his father suddenly awoke, and Keiichi jerked back before the fist could connect. Unfortunately, the man lost his balance on the rock at the same time and Keiichi ungracefully tumbled off his perch, landing in the gravel with a grunt._

"_What the hell are you doing?" Keiichi cried. "I don't want to-" Catching a flash of movement, immediately Keiichi rolled, Hotaru's boot, narrowly missing his body by inches. The man scrambled to his feet, and throughout it all Hotaru continued his assault relentlessly. _

"_Come!" The departed spirit demanded. "Show me your strength! The power you will use to protect the one you cherish most! You believe yourself strong enough to survive in this wasteland alone? Then defeat me and prove that the creatures here will not stand against you!"_

_Alert now, the young man actively deflected a blow to his stomach. "My strength?" He inquired. "How is fighting you supposed to show you my strength? I don't _want_ to fight you!"_

"_Well it's a damned shame you can't always get what you want now, isn't it?" Hotaru countered, thrusting an angled low kick at Keiichi's left knee. The youth twisted back and to the side, causing his blow to fall short of its intended target and graze his outer leg instead. The Elder advanced. "You're not going to want to fight the creatures that reside here either, I can tell you that right now, but they're not going to give you any options different from mine."_

_Grimacing, Keiichi backed away from his opponent warily. "You leave that for me to decide." He said. "If there's a way I can avoid getting too violent, I'll take it." The man moved into Hotaru's guard as the man advanced with a left punch, right punch, high kick combination, letting the spirit's thigh collide weakly with his hip before finally countering with several blows of his own. _

_Most of them Hotaru managed to parry, yet Keiichi managed to get one good, solid blow in before dancing away. He received a strong kick in his side in consequence; however, causing the young man to hiss in pain. _

_Across from him Hotaru scowled. "What is this?" He demanded. "Did Keima really raise such a weak son? Or has living around so many inhumanly powerful women destroyed your pride as a man?"_

_Keiichi smirked. "Well there was that one time I grew breasts..." He commented snidely, watching as his grandfather bristled at the mention of the past incident. "And even the one male demon I knew ended up turning into a girly pussy...cat. But I left my pride at home when my eight year-old baby sister continuously beat the shit out of me doing the same thing we're doing now." Backing up, the youth laughed. "There's only so much of a daily ass-whupping you can take before you finally hang your pride up in the closet."_

_Hotaru snorted, circling to the left and forcing Keiichi to do the same, the two men watching for any signs of an incoming attack. "Pitiful." He rumbled. "It's a man's duty to protect the women in his life. If he can't do anything as simple as that, he might as well hang up his suit and sword for an apron and pan and spend the rest of his days in the kitchen."_

"_Nah. If that happened everyone would end up choosing starvation over hunger; I'm a terrible cook. Have you ever met anyone who could burn water?" Keiichi quipped up. "Besides, Belldandy enjoys cooking with all her heart. Who am I to take that joy away from her? Not to mention she's an incredible chef; she could make a deep-fried dog turd delicious."_

_For a brief moment Keiichi gained the distinct pleasure of watching Hotaru pale at the imagery that was no doubt running rampant through his grandfather's mind. The man shook his head. Isn't it frustrating though?" The old spirit countered. "Constantly being saved by the same people who initially put your life in danger? Forced to walk on glass between the normalcy of your life and the life that is constantly brought into their world?" The man suddenly lunched forward, and caught off guard at the abrupt attack not even Keiichi's reflexes managed to save him. _

_The fist connected with his solar plexus,and Keiichi crumbled to the ground, wheezing as he fought for breath. Hotaru approached, digging his fingers into Keiichi's hair and pulling his head up to meet the spirit's eyes. "When you are always the one needing to be saved, what strength do you have to protect the ones saving you in turn?"_

_The man was too busy nursing his body to attempt to shake Hotaru's hand off his head. It took several minutes before Keiichi managed to answer him. "Course its frustrating." He rasped, meeting his grandfather's gaze with near identical brown eyes. "Every time...every time shit happens I'm terrified that I'll lose her...that this will be what ends us...that I can only watch as fate tries to separate us again and again and that I can do nothing but watch from the sidelines as she fights..." Slowly a smirk wormed its way across Keiichi's face. "But even still...I manage to find a way to help. So long as there's at least something I can do...even if its the smallest task in the world...if it will help ensure Belldandy stays safe, that she wins, that she comes back, I won't hesitate to do it."_

_The young man laughed. "I don't care what it is; lending my body to an angel, lending my body to a devil...even sacrificing myself to ensure she lives. It doesn't matter how frustrating things get. I'll still find a way to help make sure she wins." A hand moved to wrap around Hotaru's wrist. "There's more to it than just physical strength." He snapped, moving to his knees before slowly pushing himself to his feet. "You don't understand that."_

"_Belldandy is my strength. She is my reason to live. She holds my heart in one hand and my faith in the other; she isn't just my love, Grandfather. Belldandy is my goddess and so long as she holds my love and faith, I need to stay alive. If only for her sake." The grip on Hotaru's wrist tightened, and Keiichi twisted beneath it, freeing himself from the spirit and staggering away. "I don't need to fight so long as I have my goddess, so long as I can stand freely by Belldandy's side." The young man's eyes grew hard and determined as Keiichi dropped into a new stance. "But if your so desperate to take me away from her than I'll gladly fight you and all the Underworld!"_

_A smile, hungry and twisted, slithered across Hotaru's face. "Well it's about damned time you started taking this seriously." He hissed._

_And with a roar, the departed spirit of Hotaru-No-Suke struck._

* * *

_As two men fought desperately for a victory that would change the fate of one individual, above their heads a shooting star collided with a previously unknown body of water. _

_A Dead Lake, its waters were thick, black and viscous, pulling its latest victim further into its depths like a pit of tar. Terror filled the creature as ice filled its veins, and desperation clouded its thoughts as the new denizen fought its way to the surface. Yet the water was too thick, its depths to black; what was down became up, up became down, and regardless of its labors it quickly grew fatigued. Its lungs burned in desperate need of air and its body grew painfully numb as an evil chill settled in its bones._

_Its body was dying, it knew, and should the body die it too would end up dead as well. The form it once chose for the land was vastly inferior to its new environment, and if it didn't change its body to better adapt to the new climate, it didn't stand a snowball's chance in hell of surviving._

_Instinct, old and primordial, consumed its consciousness, giving its body no option but to respond in turn. Its flesh melted away, consumed by the deep waters, and in its place fur and scale sprouted. Webbing thickened in-between digits that thickened into paws. Fire emerged in its chest, devouring the chill in its bones. A new sense of direction emerged in its mind, and where once was panic instead something else too residence. That same something guided the newborn creature to the surface, breaking through and filling depleted lungs with fresh air. _

_The creature tread water, searching for the nearest shoreline before promptly making its way towards it. Steam arose from its head as fire within its core devoured the moisture, and by the time the water grew shallow its head was dry, the rest of its body following suit as it pulled itself from the inky water._

_The sand hissed and cracked beneath its feet as it moved farther from the shoreline, and in its wake a trail of glass remained to mark the creature's existence. Far enough to ensure the water would be unable to grasp it once more, the creature sat panting, allowing its body to dry and grow hot once more. It observed its new surroundings with disinterest._

_Large, pointed ears ending in black tufts of fur swiveled from side to side. Somewhere to the west it heard the familiar sounds of battle, while east came the low moans of prey. To that sound the creature turned its attention, its stomach complaining and reminding it of the meals it had missed since...since..._

_Why was it hungry again?_

_Images of bars rose in its mind, reminding it of the Deathly One. Only the smells and sounds that came with it spoke of a different experience not anywhere near as terrifying. Some of the scents reminded it of the Not-Real One, which was also bad, but more still reminded it of the Snake-Cur that it considered a friend. The beast laid its ears across its head, growling in confusion. The thoughts were of the Other Half, the One that now slept within. They were disturbing thoughts, and somewhere in the back of its mind it almost grasped the reason behind them. _

_This land...it was here for a reason, was that it? The beast sneezed. It couldn't recall. Such thoughts were for the Other Half, not itself, and if the Other Half was sleeping now, then it must have meant that there was no need for the Other Half to be awake._

_No need for thought._

_No need for rational._

_Just a need for itself and the strength and instinct it had on hand._

_Just a beast whose original purpose was lost; forgotten in the sleeping mind that sheltered it._

_The creature inhaled deeply, smelling dust and fire, blackwater and rotting things. And something else. Something agonizingly familiar to the point where it felt like whimpering at the mere scent of it. _

_Yet its Other Half did not stir at the scent nor did it rouse to let it know what the scent belonged to. The beast buried its snout in its paws, hoping to rid itself of the smell. Half the land reeked of it, like a dead fish some canine had decided to roll in before racing off to mark its territory. A disgusting stench, one that smelled of human smog and poison vainly covered by the scent of flowers and pines. _

_True, it was preferable over the other half of the land, which smelled like rot and disease, but only just. If given the option, it would have preferred to have no sense of smell at all, or to at least have a blunted, dead nose like that of its Other Half._

_Its Other Half...its Other Half had brought them both here, so it knew it was here for a reason...but what!?_

_The creature groaned in irritation as nothing but a dreamless fog came to mind, spoiled with the taste and bite of electricity. It shook its head, surrendering what it could recall in favor of the hunger pains of its stomach. Perhaps it would recall more if there was food in its stomach._

_Shaking its coat and spraying soot everywhere, the creature rose to its feet. Food was a wonderful idea and with its Other Half asleep it could hunt to its heart's content. The creature headed east at an easy trot, moving away from the scent of sickeningly familiar human scents and off towards the scent of rot and disease. It had been seven hundred years since it had a chance to spread its legs, and just as waking from a long sleep of recovery it felt marvelous to stretch its legs once more. _

_Growing more comfortable in its trot, it spread out its strides, moving faster before stepping into a full out sprint. The air, cold as it was, felt refreshing against its ever-hot body, blowing the ever-constant layer of soot off its back and leaving a line of ash to follow the glass footprints it left as its trail. Off to its right something large and mighty rose with a deep groan, and immediately the creature veered towards it, smelling rot with a minimum trail of disease rising from its body._

_Perhaps it was once human. Now it was only a spirit, putrid, its body falling apart from letting its astral body go to waste wandering for decades in the wasteland. The ghoul bellowed at it as the beast approached and the creature responded with a burst of flame, setting the monstrosity alight. The rotting spirit shrieked in pain as flames hotter than hellfire scorched its body, charring the ghoul into a black crust in seconds. _

_The ghoul collapsed in on itself, smoke rising from its black remains. The creature approached it at an easy trot, coming to a halt in front of the smoldering corpse and sniffing it in curiosity. Deciding the still-glowing embers of residue flames had thoroughly cooked the lost spirit, the beast reached over and promptly began devouring the blackened corpse. _

_Fire and flame burned out any disease the ghoul once carried, roasted away any rot so that even the most putrid flesh was edible. And it was a creature of flames after all; a Child of Muspellheim. And like the fire within its chest, it would consume anything the flames licked and found appetizing._

_The food wasn't much; merely a snack in the wake of a fast several days in length. The ghoul only further reminded it of the food it was lacking; however, it managed to lighten the heavy pounding of forgetfulness in its mind. _

_Human._

_It was searching for a human. The one who was the source of the human pollution stench and flowery scents. The Other Half wanted the human. A growl rumbled in its throat at the thought of nearing one who held such an unnatural reek. What would have possessed its Other Half to want to go after something like _that_? _

My Human._..the sleepy voice of its Other Half mumbled in the back of its mind. With it came the fuzzy image of a small man with dark hair and dark eyes. Its ears perked forward in interest. So that was it then? The human belonged to it? An emotion that might have been irritation if the creature recognized such things filled its chest, feeding the fire within its body. What had its human done to get stuck in a dead land like this? It was going to need to show the mortal who was boss once it found the person again!_

_Sniffing at the black scorch mark that once held a ghoul one last time the beast turned off towards the direction of human __scents. The images of its prey in its mind and the scent of humanity on its nose, the beast barreled off in run, bounding away towards its original goal._

_Its travel was swift, like a bushfire spreading across dead and yellowed brush in the middle of summer. Though the landscape did not change, the creature was aware of a certain shift in the territories it ventured through. It passed the black water that once sought to drown its flames, and with it came the sickening feel of colliding head-first into a barrier of spiderwebs. The sensation was over as soon as it began, yet nonetheless the beast slowed to a stop with a light pant. Tawny short fur stood erect and on edge from the 'wrongness' feeling of passing the barrier into the human's territory, and self-consciously it began to groom itself in an effort to rid itself of the feeling deep beneath its fur. _

_The feeling slowly faded and once more its golden brown coat eased down against its body. No longer hindered by the odd sensation, the beast trotted off once more. The scents of humanity were more concentrated now, effectively burying the scent the creature had been following towards its human. In its place, the sounds of shouts and grunts instead filled the air. Ears perked up in interest, the creature trotted off in the direction of the new trail, slipping through crevices in boulders and walking far around the puddles of memory that reflected foreign scenes and alien scents._

_Eventually it came across its prey. There were two of them; two humans, two males, both with dark hair like the one in its mind, attacking each other without pause. One seemed to be on the defense, evading and blocking the blows of the other _

_in a complicated dance. And while the man rarely countered any of the attacks, the other took full advantage of it, forcing his opponent back without giving the man any chance to recuperate. _

_It was obvious who was winning, and a small part of the beast wondered if the more aggressive of the two humans was the one it sought._

_There were going to be difficulties if he wasn't. The creature could no more distinguish the two men than an unobservant human could differentiate between a pair of territorial tigers._

_The younger of the two managed to flip his opponent over his shoulder, temporarily pinning the older man to the ground before the human assaulted the youth's legs. The human released the man and retreated, the older entity rolling to his feet in the gravel and circling each other cautiously. The young one struck first, sending the elder on the defense. A flash of feet, a whirl of fists and a wild dance around each other sent the elder to his knees._

_Yet the young one didn't advance on his fallen opponent. _

_The creature tilted its head to one side in curiosity, wondering what the two humans were doing. A fight over territory? But no humans should even be in this dead land, let alone fighting over it. A female? The beast flicked its ears. That seemed more probable. Humans were like most other animals in regards to finding mates; they just hid their more animalistic tendencies under pretty clothes and non-physical forms of power. _

_It's Other Half knew that, though the information came unwillingly. Yet the consequences of the information came in the form of questions. Questions it couldn't answer and didn't understand. Questions it left for its Other Half to answer yet who even now remained sleeping. Why were there two humans when there should have been only one? Why were they fighting at all? How was it supposed to bring one back if two were hanging around the land that formed the human's soul?_

_It shook its head, banishing the questions from its mind. None of the questions would be answered while the Other Half slept. At the very least it could investigate the two humans rather than simply observe them from its vantage point. Sneezing, its coat twitching, the beast moved to approach the younger human. Its nose twitched as it caught the man's scent, finding it identical to the land it traversed._

_So here was the spirit residing within the soul. The one it was meant to bring back to its Other Half. The beast leaned against the back of his legs, stumbling when the human started at its sudden contact and twirled to look at it. The beast sat, staring at the human expectantly. Its human stared back, mouth agap in what its Other Half called 'surprise'. The creature tilted its head to one side in curiosity, wondering what it had done to cause such a reaction._

_Rising, it approached the human once more, pausing when the human in turn backed up a step. What was its human doing?_

_Behind him, the other human was howling something. Its human responded it turn, waving its hand back at the human in a manner it didn't understand. The human's voice then fell into a soft coo before slowly bending to one knee, rubbing a pair of fingers out towards it and clucking gently._

_Curiosity getting the better of it, the beast approached, sniffing at the offered fingers before rubbing against them, marking the human as 'mine'. The digits shifted slightly, scratching its chin. It closed its eyes in bliss, leaning into the fingers and sliding its head down for the fingers to reach those hard-to-reach areas behind the ears. A deep, rumbling purr began to reverberate throughout its entire body and it sat, content with the scratching it was getting. _

_The other hand moved to lightly pet its head in a manner similar to its favorite demon, which was also nice up until the hand started to slide down towards its back. Red eyes snapped open and lightly truffed ears went back. The purring stopped, and it pulled away before the hand could move further down its back. It glared at its human in warning, watching as the man pulled his hands back with a start. _

_'Not the back.' It would have said if it could speak. 'Back is bad. Not near shoulders.'_

_Yet it could not speak and humans as a race were terrible at interpreting body language. Instead it stuttered some mindless chatter at it before saying one word._

_One word that its favored demon called it._

_One word that it knew by heart._

_One word that its Other Half responded to._

"_Mara."_

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: In regards to Mara and Skuld's actions with Keiichi: Remember, Mara has limited communication abilities that often fail her when she gets emotional. She's only got one usable arm as well, which makes regular CPR rather difficult without the needed aid of Skuld, who most likely has no idea what Mara was attempting to do until the last minute._

_Hotaru-No-Suke isn't trying to be an ass; most of it is the time period he grew up in. He may look like Keiichi, but their personalities are distinctly different. _

_Also, Keiichi's spirit is a bit of a troll. Who would have thought?_


	32. Explosion Array

"_Mara." Keiichi said softly, his eyes never straying from the creature in front of him._

_The man didn't know why he was so certain the strange beast was the demon; it certainly shared few resemblances to the woman. The closest creature Keiichi could compare it to was a large lynx. However lynx's didn't have off-colored, black scales that spread up one of their forepaws like a virus. Lynx's didn't have twisted metal sprouting from one of their shoulders like some demented wing, or have smoke constantly rising from their bodies as the ground they sat on grew scorched from an unknown fire. Lynx's weren't surrounded by a cloud of white ash._

_And Keiichi had never seen a lynx with red eyes before._

_It could have been the eyes that gave her away, he knew. Keiichi was aware of only one person with red slit eyes similar to the creature in front of him, yet at the same time the man knew that wasn't the case. _

_He simply _knew_. Knew in that same way he recognized that black monster that had cleaned his wounds as something related to the Daimakaicho. The knowledge was just _there_._

"_Keiichi, I'm only going to tell you this one more time. Get the hell away from that thing." Hotaru's voice was low and cautious, filled with no small amount of fear. It almost made the man laugh, it was so amusing. Here was a man who not a minute prior was fighting Keiichi for the mortal's very existence, yet at the appearance of the demon he'd turned craven._

_Didn't the spirit know how harmless Mara was? Sure she was a demon, but she was incompetent. Even a human like Keiichi had been able to stand toe to toe with her before. Besides, even with her slightly-more-intimidating new form, she wasn't really acting aggressively. True, it was a little unnerving with the way she was acting, yet when Keiichi considered the fact that he was 'dead' and talking to the departed spirit of his grandfather, the young man took it all in stride. If anything, perhaps Mara was putting on a new act for his grandfather's sake. His experience with the demon had always shown her to be of the more 'kooky' sort. The man looked over at his grandfather with a smirk. "What's the matter, Gramps?" He teased. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little kitty cat."_

_Hotaru didn't even look at Keiichi. His eyes were centered on the lynx. "Keiichi, that is no cat." He said gravely. "You know that. The beast is a demon. If you value your life as much as you claim, you'll separate yourself from it immediately." The man was tense, Keiichi noted. Very tense, as though the spirit was watching Keiichi pet a ravenous lion._

_The mortal nodded. "Yeah, she's a demon." He agreed. "But look, she's harmless. It's not like she's trying to attack us or anything. I-we...we've had run-ins with this demon several times in the past." Keiichi continued. "Sometimes she's against us, sometimes she's on our side. The last time I saw her, she was leaning more towards my side of the playing field and something tells me this time hasn't really changed anything." He looked down at the feline, who's ears were erect and alert, one tilted in his direction as though listening to him. The man grinned. "You can relax, Grandpa. Mara isn't going to hurt us."_

_Hotaru remained skeptical. "How are you so sure of that?" He demanded, keeping his distance from both demon and human. "Would you pet such a creature if it was to appear to you in the wild? Tell me Keiichi, what is preventing that beast from turning around and tearing apart your hand as we speak?"_

_Keiichi shrugged. "Mara's not a wild animal, Grandpa." _

_Hotaru eyed the lynx distastefully. "You're right. It's worse."_

_The comment took him off guard and Keiichi was surprised to feel a swell of anger rise in his chest."Grandpa!" Keiichi snapped. "Yes, Mara's a demon, but she's also a woman. Show some respect." He removed his hand from the lynx's head. "Look, something you learn when you live with a bunch of otherworldly beings is that even if their form isn't human, they're still pretty damned intelligent. And unless you've got some lucky charms in your pockets or the ghost of Freddy Mercury backing you up, she's strong enough to kick your ass without me being able to stop her. Don't try to piss her off, Old Man." _

_As though his words held some hidden signal the lynx rose suddenly from where it was resting at Keiichi's side. After pressing against Keiichi's legs once more Mara parted in favor of the spirit. Leaving a trail of hissing, cooling glass in its wake, the creature approached Hotaru, causing the spirit to quickly back away. Mara paused, tilting her head to one side before making a noise that sounded like a rather vocal coo and continuing. Hotaru cursed violently, struggling to increase the distance between demon and spirit only for Mara to fall into a trot in response. It was an almost entertaining scene to watch, up to the point where Mara suddenly spat out a ball of fire at Hotaru._

_Then it wasn't funny anymore._

_Hotaru broke into a sprint, Mara eagerly racing behind him. Another burst of flame exploded from the lynx's maw, and it was only sheer luck that Hotaru slipped in the gravel. The man went down with a grunt and the bright orange fire passed dangerously close to his head. Yet Mara was only starting with the spirit. With a snarl the demon pounced on the man before the elder spirit had a chance to rise, jaws snapping and long, curled claws burying into the man's back._

_Hotaru howled in pain, and Keiichi raced towards the two. "Grandpa!" He cried. "Mara, what the hell are you doing? Get off him!"_

_The lynx looked up at the use of her name, pausing from where she'd been about to bite a chunk out of Hotaru's shoulder. The demon hopped off Hotaru at Keiichi's approach in favor of trotting towards the man. Keiichi froze, eying the beast warily and wondering if she was planning on jumping him next. Instead Mara approached him with a curious purr, pressing against his legs in a manner reminiscent of Welsper's cat-like affections with Belldandy._

_Clutching a shoulder stained in red, Hotaru stumbled to his feet. "Keiichi, run!" He cried. "Get away from that thing before you end up more then dead!"_

_Apparently Mara didn't appreciate the dead man's words, as Keiichi felt the beast bristle against his legs. A soft growl parted the lynx's throat, and Keiichi watched as the creature's fur stood on end. "Shit." He hissed, watching as Mara's ears folded back against her head angrily. Without thinking he lunged, wrapping his arms around the lynx's body and scooping her off the ground._

_Keiichi discovered two things at that moment. The first was that a demon that shifted its body into a more beastly representation of itself did not lose its mass. The second was that picking up an angry lynx enticed it to struggle violently. Keiichi strained to hold up a hissing and spitting Mara. The lynx screamed and howled, squirming and lashing out at the man savagely. A luck that shouldn't have existed prevented Keiichi from receiving the worst of scratches, yet the man still cursed each time he felt Mara's claws slice into his forearms. _

_The lynx's head reigned back, snapping at Keiichi's face in rage. Her breath was scalding it was so hot, and Mara wasn't even trying to roast him as she had Hotaru. The man grunted, pulling back with a grimace. "Mara, what the hell?" He demanded, fighting to maintain his grip on the struggling beast. Face tilted as far away from the angry beast as possible, Keiichi struggled to look back to his grandfather. "Grandpa, now would be a really good time to do something!" He shouted, and Mara shrieked with him, creating a duet of howls from man and beast._

_Surprisingly, Hotaru did exactly that. Too bad 'something' involved drawing a _naginata _from nowhere. _

_Dark eyes widened. "Holy shit." Keiichi whispered. For a moment his surprise was so great that his grip loosened, causing Mara to slide in the man's grasp. Something sharp sliced into Keiichi's left bicep, and Mara suddenly stiffened against him. Then her struggles grew frantic, her screams louder, forcing Keiichi to drop the lynx before she could damage him further._

_The lynx hit the ground running, a yowl escaping her throat as Mara darted several feet away from Keiichi. The man clutched his arm, looking down and seeing a deep red gash in his arm. Yet the wound did not bleed as was the norm, and somehow that was more terrifying than if Mara had been fortunate enough to spill Keiichi's intestines on the ground. Keiichi looked at it worriedly, dark eyes darting back to Mara anxiously. _

"_What the hell was that?"_

_Mara bared her teeth at him as Keiichi spoke, belly low to the ground as she hissed at the man. Keiichi barely noticed, his gaze too heavily examining the beast herself to care about the lynx's behavior. He caught a blotch of red on the metal erupting from Mara's shoulder and the man watched in horror as the metal seemed to absorb his blood. The man shuddered, touching his injured arm self-consciously. It didn't even hurt anymore. "What...what is that thing?"_

"_The creature is cursed." Keiichi jumped, turning to find Hotaru at his side, _naginata_ propped up against his shoulder. When had the spirit even approached? The man was as quiet as death itself. Hotaru pointed back to Mara, and Keiichi followed the man's finger to the metal in the demon's shoulder once more. "Watch, can you see?" The man asked. "It's growing."_

_Grimacing, Keiichi squinted, focusing on the piece of metal. It _did_ seem a bit larger from before but..."A curse?" He asked._

_Hotaru grunted in agreement. "Some sort of magical leech." He commented. "The aura around it is disgusting in comparison to your pet demon, Keiichi. It's feeding off the beast like a parasite, and judging by what I saw just now, I'm guessing it's not only magic it's stealing from its host."_

_Keiichi looked between the growling Mara and his grandfather. "How can you tell?"_

_Hotaru's smile was slim and without humor. "I am of the _Yomatsu-Ikusa_, the Army of the Dead." He confessed, patting the naginata in emphasis. "If there is one thing _Ikusa_ see, it is death. And that parasite is nothing but death to these old eyes, Keiichi." The man glanced over at Keiichi. "Did you think I was trying to warn you away from the creature for no reason?"_

_Keiichi chose not to respond. _I wonder how long she's been like this._ He thought. _A parasite_..._is that the thing I saw coming out of her shoulder that night?_ He thought back to that horrid night in the shrine, with the alien red magic and the screaming, half-mad demon. _Belldandy almost died because of that thing_. He recalled, hands clenching into fists in anger. _

_Next to him Hotaru shifted. "You claim to be on familiar terms with the demon, yes?" He asked, sliding into a defensive stance with the _naginata_ held out in front of him. "That she is intelligent?" _

_Keiichi nodded quietly, causing Hotaru to frown. "When she attacked me, the eyes I saw were those of a hungry beast." He said. "Perhaps that parasite is holding too much an influence on her mind in this world. I don't know why she didn't attack you as she did me; however, we might be able to use that to our advantage."_

_Mara was backing farther away now, eying Hotaru with the cautious hunger of a puma watching the antlers of a deer. Hotaru followed her with the tip of the _naginata_, enticing another growl from the demon. Then with a snarl the lynx turned and ran, slipping through a pair of closely placed boulders and disappearing from sight. Keiichi swore. "Mara!" He shouted, moving after the beast only to be stopped by Hotaru. Glancing over at his grandfather anxiously, the man shook his head._

"_Don't bother." Hotaru said. "You said that demon was cat-minded, right? Unless you've made it a habit of catching cats, you aren't going to get her, Keiichi. You'd sooner come across a ghoul than you would a cat that doesn't want to be found."_

_Keiichi followed his grandfather's gaze. For a moment, he thought he saw a flash of glowing red in the shadowy landscape, but it was gone the moment he saw it. The man rubbed his eyes. "So what do we do then?" He asked. "We can't just leave her here like this."_

"_And I can't simply leave _you_ here with her." Hotaru retorted, fingers drumming the hilt of the _naginata _in thought. "The best option right now would be to retreat to Yomi and let the others know." The man thought aloud. "A demon so close to the borderlands of the Underworld is dangerous. We'll be lucky if all it does is prey on the ghouls wandering this plane."_

"_And if it doesn't?"_

"_Then there will be a demon hunt, followed by a very dead demon once it's captured."_

_Keiichi looked at his grandfather in alarm. "Grandpa, you can't just-"_

"_Can't just what, Keiichi?" The man interrupted. "Say nothing and watch as your friend attacks the newly-deceased and their guides?" Hotaru looked over at Keiichi, dark eyes hard. "What if tomorrow Megumi were to die? Little Tanako or your father, Keima?" He demanded. "Would you still have me do nothing while that demon preys on them?" The man's gaze drifted around them, searching for the wayward lynx. "I am _Ikusa_ Keiichi. And as such I have a responsibility to the land and its people to protect it with my soul._

_Keiichi grit his teeth. "They aren't going to just suddenly die like that, Grandpa." He growled, hands clenched at his side._

"_No, but someone else will." Hotaru responded, shifting his grip on his weapon anxiously. "Are you saying their soul is any less important than the ones of our kin?"_

_Keiichi said nothing in response. _

_The two fell into a tense silence. Somewhere in the distance was a moan, disturbingly human until it rose into a shriek that sent shivers down Keiichi's spine. Then came a yowl, a snarl, and the shriek ended abruptly. The young man shifted his weight from one foot to the other restlessly. "What was that?" He asked, gazing into the landscape in the hopes of finding the source of the noise._

_Hotaru hushed him. From the direction of the shriek came a vicious scream, and around it more moans arose in answer. The elder spirit swore. "The blasted demon is drawing the attention of the ghouls." He hissed. "If those things gather in a mass..." The man trailed off, turning to look at Keiichi. "How fast can you run?"_

"_What?"_

"_How fast can you run?" Hotaru repeated. "Because something tells me we're going to need to test that speed in the next couple of minutes." The man rapped his fingers against the _naginata_ anxiously. _

_A long groan emerged from behind them, and as one Keiichi and Hotaru wheeled around. The ghoul's flesh hung loosely from its body as it slowly trudged towards them. Its eyes were white and filmy with death and something green and putrid emerged from a hole in its chest. The spirit must have sneaked up on them when the two souls were focused on the demon. _

"_Holy shit." Keiichi whispered, taking a nervous step back. If not for Hotaru's gesture to halt, the man would have broken into the dead run his grandfather was asking of him prior. _

_The _Ikusa_ lowered his weapon, slowly maneuvering in front of Keiichi. "Keep quiet and don't move." Hotaru advised. "They're drawn by motion and sound." _

_The rotting soul whimpered, reminding Keiichi of a lost child as it lumbered towards Hotaru. The spirit held steady, and when the ghoul came within range Hotaru struck with a quick thrust. The weapon's blade pierced the flesh like paper. Hotaru sliced down at an angle, and with the cry of a scared child the dead soul dropped. It's dying cries sent shivers down Keiichi's spine. _

_When the ghoul finally fell silent Hotaru approached it, _naginata_ once more resting against a shoulder. The _Ikusa_ kneeled at the carcass's feet, rummaging around before finally pulling something shiny from the corpse. The man pocketed the object before Keiichi could get a good look at it before rising to his feet once more. "Come on." Hotaru said. "We need to move before-"_

_The spirit was cut off by the sounds of more moans, groans, and the all too familiar sound of a feline's scream. Keiichi and Hotaru had just enough time to share a look of horror before turning to the source, finding a pack of the monstrosities racing towards them. When one of the ghouls strayed from the rest, a burst of flame appeared from behind it, cutting it off and returning it to the others. Keiichi caught sight of Mara acting as the source of the fires before disappearing once more amongst the many rotting souls._

_Hotaru's jaw dropped. "What. The. Fuck." He said before grabbing Keiichi by the wrist, turning, and bolting with the younger man away from the stampede. "Is that thing a cat or a damned sheep dog?" The _Ikusa _snarled as they ran. "Because right now, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear that crazy demon was herding those things towards us!" _

_Racing desperately after the older soul before he could be dragged behind the man, Keiichi cried, "How the hell does that work?" The younger man demanded. "I thought you said Mara wasn't thinking right! How can someone who thinks she's a cat act like a freaking Shepherd?"_

_Horatu didn't have a chance to respond before one of the leading ghouls suddenly lunged at the duo. Keiichi slid out of the staggering creature's incoming path, his grandfather countering with a blow to the head with the butt of his weapon. Yet where the creature dropped even more swarmed, their moans escalating with those behind them into a cacophony of madness. _

_Releasing Keiichi, Hotaru turned to face the many monsters, backpeddeling madly as the _Ikusa_ brought first one, then another ghoul down. Their cries were of a man murdered in his sleep, a woman struck down in violence. Yet still more came, deterred not in the slightest by the fall of their own. Overwhelmed, Hotaru turned and ran, racing after Keiichi only to find himself face to face with Mara. Having darted ahead of the ghouls and in-between the gap made by Hotaru and Keiichi, the ash-covered lynx demon spat a burst of flame at the _Ikusa.

_With a shout Hotaru fell back, dropping his weapon in favor of shielding himself from Mara's flames. The ghouls at his back wasted no time in his sudden retreat, and before the man could think to divert away from either oppositions he was engulfed in a wave of moaning, putrid flesh. The man fought his way through the mass to no avail. The many limbs of the rotting spirits pulled him down until naught was seen of Hotaru amongst the monstrosities._

_And through it all, the lynx watched in silence. When Hotaru was no more, another burst of flame escaped Mara's maw, warding away the ghouls from coming any closer before turning towards the direction Keiichi had run off in._

_The new soul was no where in sight, having vanished upon his separation from the elder spirit. Yet the mortal's scent was thick in the air, providing all the trail the demon needed to find the human. Scenting the air, the demon began to make its way towards the man._

_That was until a large _bang _suddenly erupted behind the lynx, scaring the demon half to death._

_Instinctively the creature bolted, running away from the source of the sound with fur and tail puffed out. Looking twice as large and fluffy as was the norm for the demon, the lynx bolted behind a boulder. And found itself face to face with Keiichi, who'd chosen that exact rock to hide behind._

_If Keiichi noticed the lynx he said nothing, too preoccupied with trying to peer over the rock without exposing himself too heavily. "What the hell was that?" He muttered to himself. "Some new boss monster?" The man could see nothing but ghouls from his vantage point, several of which were laying on the ground; killed by Hotaru before the other had pulled the elder soul under._

_Another _bang_ caused Mara to jump, pressing against Keiichi as the man dropped back against the boulder once more. The spirit looked down at the demon in surprise. "When did you get here?" He whispered before shaking his head. "Guess it doesn't matter now, but I'm still blaming this all on you this time, Mara. What made you think drawing those things attentions was a good idea?"_

_Mara didn't respond, merely pressed closer against Keiichi's body, trembling._

_Another loud _bang_ echoed throughout the valley, causing Keiichi to cover his head as though fearing an attack. "What the hell _is _that?!" He demanded. After a moment's hesitation the soul rolled to his knees, rising to peer once more above the boulder. Black brows furrowed together in confusion. Were his eyes playing tricks on him, or were there more bodies on the ground then before? "What the..." The man trailed off as one of the monstrosities began drifting from its colleagues, clutching a head that looked to have been bashed in with a mallet. _

_Dark eyes trailed the frail form, watching as it swayed from side to side like a drunkard. It moans were different, ones of pain over the more common groans shared by its companions. "Wait a second..." Keiichi mumbled, squinting at the ghoul. It looked like...why did it...was the thing's head bubbling? The flesh and exposed tissue looked like it was boiling, the flesh rising and falling as though controlled by some sort of inner gas. Disturbingly entranced, Keiichi watched as the bubbles seemed to grow, multiply, until- _

BANG!

_Keiichi screamed, turning and bolting behind his shelter once more. "Th-that thing! It just...it's head just!" The man clutched his head and closed his eyes, shivering. Yet still he could see the ghoul falling to its knees, headless. "That ghoul's head just exploded." He whispered. _

BANG!

_The man flinched, sliding to his rump and drawing his legs up to his chest. "That thing's head exploded." He repeated. __"This...this is just like that fungus..." The dark haired, newly-deceased soul mumbled. "Like the caterpillars granny was always eating...mummified and dead with ruptured heads and fungus growing out of 'em." Keiichi's eyes grew dark at the horrid memory. "Like science class...freakin' fungus infecting a bug and taking it over and turning it into a zombie...only larger, with people." _

_Something so warm it was almost hot pressed against his leg. Keiichi looked down, finding Mara to be the source. The demon's fur was still bristled, the lynx staring at him with wide, frightened red eyes. Another explosion caused the creature to sink low to the ground, ears pressed flat atop her skull as Mara looked around anxiously. The soul stared, the behavior so different from the lynx of five minutes ago it was almost scary. And yet it seemed so much like Mara that..._

_Keiichi laughed. It came out hysteric, causing Mara to jump. "This dying shit is for the birds, let me tell you." The student said, forcefully ignoring the way his voice wavered. A hand reached out to pet the lynx, mildly surprised when the demon didn't automatically wheel around to claw or bite him. "These things-these ghouls, they kind of remind me of a biology class I had to take." He began, smoothing down the puffed up fur of the nervous demon. "There was this fungus-I forgot the exact name-that infects bugs and turns them into zombies." The man felt another burst of laughter bubble in the back of his throat. He swallowed it back down. "The fungus makes 'em act all weird, making the zombie do things it wouldn't do normally, like an ant leaving its colony or something. And when it's fully mature and the ant dies, the fungus sprouts from its body so it can release its spores and start the whole thing over again."_

_Slowly Mara calmed beneath his hands, fur smoothing out once more. She wasn't trembling as badly either. Dimly Keiichi wondered if maybe she was seeking comfort in his words. It certainly looked like the lynx was listening to him. "Do you think those guys are releasing spores when their heads explode?"_

_A pair of tufted ears swiveled towards him attentively. "I really hope not." Keiichi continued, drawing his had away from the beast. It was white with ash. "I don't want to turn into a zombie and have my head filled with spores. I need to get back to Belldandy." The soul stared at the demon. The lynx stared back. "Do you guys get infected with zombie spores like us?" He asked. _

_Mara tilted her head to one side but said nothing. It never occurred to Keiichi that the demon might not be able to understand him in her current state._

Bang!

_The lynx's ears went back towards the sound. This time; however, the demon didn't cower at the explosion, instead looking up at Keiichi expectantly. "What, don't tell me you're expecting me to stop all this." Keiichi muttered. Mara continued to stare. "It's not like I was the one who brought all these things here in the first place! You go stop them! Go and roast them so they stop spreading spores everywhere!" He cried._

_Unfortunately, like most cats, telling a lynx to do anything was liable to be ignored, in which case the ash-covered beast did nothing. Keiichi flung his hands into the air in frustration. "I'm going to turn into a ghoul because of you." He accused. "My body's gonna fill with mycelia, my heads gonna fill with spores and then bang! My head's gonna explode because of you." The man eyed the chunk of metal protruding from the demon's back. "Then you're probably gonna roll around on my corpse and absorb whatever's left for that metal parasite thing you've got sprouting from your back, only you won't realize your doing it because that damned metal is like the fungus and is controlling your mind." He waved his fingers around in front of the lynx's face, causing Mara to lay her ears back and draw away from him in irritation. The man was rambling, he knew, yet somehow talking to the lynx, even if it was unlikely the demon understood him, made Keiichi feel a bit calmer._

_Gravel shifted to the left of the boulder and Keiichi froze, fearful of another ghoul. Mara circled around behind him with a soft warning growl. When he looked at the beast, the man saw fire dancing in the demon's jaws. Slowly Keiichi moved to his knees, tense and ready to leap should the ghoul stumble across their hiding grounds._

_Yet rather than a fungus filled fatality stumbling across the duo's path, instead Hotaru emerged, scratched and bruised but alive. The man stared at his grandson, who in turn stared back cautiously. "What the hell are you doing you dolt?" Hotaru demanded. "I could hear your howling from where the ghouls were attempting to devour me!" He snapped. "Are you trying to get killed or are you just stupid, Boy?"_

_Mara hissed at Hotaru, and Keiichi found himself of a like mindedness. "Did they bite you?" He asked instead, carefully observing Hotaru's open cuts for anything that might have gotten in the wounds. "Did you inhale any of the spores? Were __you infected?" The younger spirit rested a hand on the demon's head, hopefully silently begging the beast not to unleash any flames at his grandfather. At least until he knew for certain if Hotaru was infected or not. If he was, the man was free game._

_Hotaru stared at Keiichi in confusion. "Boy, I just escaped a pack of hungry ghouls who wanted nothing more than to eat me alive." He said. "Of course I was bitten. Now what's all this nonsense of spores and infections?" _

"_Their heads were exploding." Keiichi explained. "Some of the ghouls would leave the bundle trying to eat you and...yeah, their head blew up like a squished grape." The man blinked and grimaced. "...I'm never going to be able to look at grapes the same way again now..."_

_Across from him Hotaru nodded slowly, eying Keiichi as though the man was mad. "Yes...their heads _did_ explode Keiichi...but I've yet to see what this has to do with spores or infections."_

"_You've never seen a zombie movie, have you?"_

"_A what?" The fact that Hotaru had died during the second world war and probably didn't even know what a 'zombie movie' was never popped into Keiichi's head. _

_Switching tactics, Keiichi said, "They were infected with something. Something that caused their heads to explode. Whatever it was that caused the explosions probably got into the air or could be passed through saliva into an open wound, and I don't want you going all 'ghoul-zombie' on me and having your head explode." The man eyed Hotaru cautiously, who in turn stared at Keiichi in shock._

_Then the man burst into laughter. "Keiichi, we're _dead_. There are no infections in this world. The ghouls are ghouls because they were never properly guided to their respective underworld, which is what I'm trying to prevent from happening to you."_

_Hotaru's words did little to reassure Keiichi. "Then why the hell are their heads exploding!?" As though hearing his words, somewhere behind them another ghoul went _bang_. Keiichi flinched. Hotaru winced. Mara's ears went back._

"_That's because-" The man paused mid-sentence before shaking his head. "No, forget it. That's none of your concern. Just know that the worst that will happen from a ghouls head exploding is-"_

_A ghoul popped around the corner behind Keiichi with a moan. "Get down!" Hotaru shouted, grabbing Keiichi and yanking him forward, sending the youth to the ground. Mara wheeled around and spat out the flames residing withing her throat, yet even as the fire began to bath the ghoul, it's head suddenly exploded. The proximity and the suddenness of the explosion caused the lynx to shriek in fear, and fur bristled once more the demon bolted from the boulder, little more than a flaming blur of fur and ash._

_Stunned, Keiichi stayed where he'd fallen, staring at his grandfather with wide eyes. Then it began raining gore on his head. Somewhere, deep within his mind, a small piece of Keiichi began doing a panicked dance trying to rid himself of the chunks of tissue, bone, and brain matter. The rest of his mind was focused more heavily on Hotaru himself._

"_It's you." Keiichi whispered, causing the elder spirit to stare down at him. "You're the cause of it, aren't you? The heads exploding-_you're_ making their heads explode!"_

_Hotaru held it peace for only a moment, his expression warring with various emotions that Keiichi found he greatly disliked. "...And if I am?" _

"_If you are? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Keiichi demanded, his voice cracking in agitation as he scrambled to his feet. "You just made a ghoul's head explode! By _staring _at it! Have you always been able to do this or is this some new power you get after dying!?"_

_Hotaru raised an eyebrow. "Keiichi, do you honestly think I'd have had this power in the living world?" He asked._

_Keiichi ran his hands through his hair. It was wet and slimy from blood and tissue. "I don't know what to think anymore." He muttered. "When were you going to tell me you could do something like that? It's something I'd have really liked to know when we were having a fist fight a little while ago; 'oh yeah, by the way Keiichi, watch yourself or I might just blow up you fucking head!'"_

_Hotaru scowled. "It wasn't as though I was going to blow your head up, Keiichi."_

_Keiichi wasn't convinced. "Really, is that so?" He demanded. "And what would have happened if Mara hadn't interrupted us and I'd won? You wouldn't have left me on that rock; you'd have blown my head up and dragged my dead corpse back with you!"_

_The man sighed in exasperation, looking to the ground and then back to Hotaru. "Can I do this? Make peoples heads explode and everything? Or is it because you're a...what did you call it, an _Ikusa_?" Keiichi looked down at the body at his feet. "...Can they do it do?" He asked lowly._

"_No." Hotaru replied softly. "Their minds degenerate the longer they roam, leaving them incapable of accessing that ability." The man hesitated. "...However, anyone who has passed from the living to the underworld is capable of utilizing such an ability. A human is limited to the handicaps he places on his own mind while alive; however, when the soul passes on it once more reawakens to its past incarnations, allowing it access to that part of the mind that is so often locked away."_

"_And that takes the form of head-expodies." Keiichi concluded. _

_He earned an odd look from Hotaru. "Among other things, I suppose."_

_Dark brows furrowed together in thought. "Then...how come you didn't use that trick on Mara?" Realization of what he'd just asked dawned on Keiichi's face. "Don't get me wrong," He added hastily. "I'm glad you didn't blow up her head, really, thank you for not blowing up Mara's head, but even still..." The man trailed off._

_Hotaru frowned. "Mara. The demon, right?" At Keiichi's nod the elder spirit continued. "It is precisely because that creature is a demon that I _couldn't_ blow up her head." He admitted. "Believe me, I tried." The man muttered under his breath. "But demons and gods are above us. Even the highest spirit is less than the weakest demon. Our abilities only affect those beneath us, which says the same for gods and demons both." The man shuddered self-consciously. "That is one reason why that demon worries me so much. One with so much power and no control is a deadly threat in the Underworld borderlands."_

"_And you just scared the shit out of her after she'd started to calm down!" Keiichi cried. "If you hadn't decided to go freaking 'head-explody' so close to her, Mara would still be here and I might have found a way to rouse her!"_

"_And you would have done this how?" Hotaru countered. "The way I found the both of you showed no improvement on the demon's end. If anything her madness seemed to have spread to you as well with the way you were screaming like a loon."_

_This time Keiichi could think of no retort. How _would_ he have brought a half-mad demon back to her senses? The man's eyes narrowed and Keiichi rubbed his chin in thought. What could possibly affect a first-class demon so intensely that it would bring back her sanity?_

_The answer hit him like a horseshoe. Keiichi looked at his grandfather, eyes bright. "You wouldn't happen to have anything you consider lucky on you, would you?"_

* * *

_Ten minutes later found Keiichi slowly walking towards the many ghouls Mara had somehow gathered. The many spirits had yet to disperse, moaning and groaning and trudging aimlessly around each other. It reminded Keiichi of some of the old zombie movies he used to watch with Megumi when they were both kids. The movies were in black and white and had some terrible dubs, but back then they were utterly terrifying to a couple of pre-teens. "At least they're slow-moving zombies and not fast moving zombies." Keiichi muttered to himself. "Otherwise this stupid idea really _would_ be suicidal." _

_In hindsight, the plan sounded better in his head then it did now. Probably because he was the one risking his soul to do it. Thus far none of the ghouls seemed to notice him, lending some truth to Hotaru's earlier claims of 'when in Rome, act like the Romans'. It didn't stop Keiichi's heart from ramming in his chest like a jackhammer or prevent the man from jumping any time one of the ghouls started coming towards him. _

_The man moaned for effect, causing several of the ghouls to groan back as though in welcome. One of the rotting spirits came close enough to brush him, causing Keiichi's skin to crawl. Yet the ghoul did nothing but moan at the man as though he were a rude pedestrian. _I can't believe this is working._ Keiichi thought, letting out another groan as his eyes darted around him. _Now all we need is Mara to appear again and..._the lynx was no where in sight. At least no where he could see given the surrounding darkness and murky mist. The ghouls weren't helping his line of sight much either._

_A ghoul moaned at him. Keiichi moaned back. _I really hope she's watching me._ He thought grimly. _Otherwise I'll have risked my soul for nothing. _The man swallowed a hysteric laugh. _Belldandy would beat the shit out of me if she know what I was about to do._ He thought. _The things I do for love!

_The man let his gaze wander, finding himself in the heart of the pack of ghouls. _Mara, you better be watching me._ He thought, swallowing a bundle of nerves. There were butterflies in his stomach and his heart was pounding a steady beat in his ears. The lump in his throat wouldn't go away and his mouth felt as dry as sandpaper. _Come on Keiichi, you can do this._ He encouraged himself. "For Belldandy." He said quietly, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. The man released it slowly before opening them once more, steel in his gaze._

"_For Belldandy!" He howled, before bolting into a dead run within the mass of rotting spirits. The ghouls moaned, turning their full attention to the young man as though in confusion. The newly-deceased spirit made it past four of the spirits before the ghouls began to realize prey was in their midst, but when they finally did, the mass of ghouls suddenly grew deadly. One snagged his arm, causing Keiichi to spin right into the oncoming grasp of another. A ghoul with a slit throat was attached to Keiichi's shoulder, its teeth black and broken and it moved to bite him._

Bang!

_The ghoul, headless, fell to the ground. Around him its brethren groaned angrily, the ones who'd managed to grab him moving closer with a vengeance. Yet more explosions followed the first, and Keiichi once more found him running free. "Mara!" He screamed, no longer fighting to hold off the terror that now engulfed him. "Mara, I need you!" He cried, dodging and darting around one ghoul after another, with many more exploding before him. "You came here for a reason, remember!" He shouted into the crowd. "You came for me! You could have killed me twice over by now, but you didn't!" He hollered. "Even when I hurt you, you didn't kill me like you tried Hotaru!" A wall of rotting flesh and gnashing teeth appeared in front of him, forcing Keiichi to bolt to the right. It sent him deeper into the nest of ghouls and around him the explosions became more frequent. "You even tried to protect me from one of these ghouls!" The man continued._

_A ghoul stepped into his path. Startled by the sudden appearance, Keiichi quickly turned back the way he came only to trip across over the body of one of the new carcasses. The man went down with a shout and his world was blotted out with gray flesh, dead faces, and misshapen fingers all grasping for him. Unable to stand once more, Keiichi began to crawl, maneuvering through whatever openings he came across and ignoring the hands that clawed at his body. _

_The explosions had stopped, Hotaru no longer able to see Keiichi and properly defend him. It served to only increase Keiichi's panic, and for the first time since the idea had popped into his head Keiichi was afraid he was going to die. "Well here I am!" He screamed desperately, voice drowning amongst the many voices of the ghouls. "Here I am, and I'm in danger again! Mara, I'm summoning you with everything I have; save me!"_

_It was then that the world seemed to suddenly grow quiet. The ghouls stopped howling, their movements grew muffled, and even Keiichi's panicked breaths seemed to suddenly grow mute. _Oh shit._ Keiichi thought, watching as a spark of red flickered above the heads of the many ghouls._

I think it worked.

_More sparks began to appear overhead, unknown or ignored by the monstrosities baring down on him. Yet for all his danger Keiichi found his eyes drawn to the flashes of light that danced across the sky. Then one of those sparks ignited, and the world erupted into flames. Fire consumed the torsos of those around him and Keiichi curled into a ball on the ground, __covering his body as best he could from the flames. _I did it. He_ thought, sweating. _I summoned her. And now I'm going to die because of it.

_The dying cries of those around him were a hideous choir of pain and despair mixed with the steady drumbeat of bodies falling to the ground. Yet even as he watched, no burning body touched his own. No flames, no fire licked his flesh. Keiichi remained unharmed as those around him dropped as blackened corpses. _

_It was too much. _

_After everything he'd gone through, this newest deed proved too much for Keiichi's frail mentality to handle, and the man closed his eyes and covered his ears, desperate to deny his senses what he was experiencing. Yet even still he could smell the scent of charred flesh, taste the singed bodies of those around him, and by the gods he just wanted it all to stop! _This was a really stupid, suicidal idea._ He thought morosely._

_The screams began to subside. Something hot nudged him, and against his better judgment Keiichi slowly opened his eyes. A pair of burning orbs stared into his, and for a moment Keiichi saw more then the lynx those eyes belonged to. _I know this._ He thought. _I don't know where, but somehow I know this. _The fire was Mara, her eyes little more than a pair of sparks that flashed in the darkness of the Underworld. All of it, the flames, the fires, everything that consumed the ghouls around him was nothing but an incarnation of Mara herself. _

_Without realizing what he was doing the man reached out to the eyes, touching the flames and feeling hot fur in place of searing heat. And just like that, Mara was once more the lynx from before, leaning into his touch with a content purr. His fear dying away, Keiichi felt himself smile, his other hand moving to scratch at the demon's ears, her chin, at the tufts of fur at the side of the lynx's cheeks._

So this is what it's like to touch fire without fear of being burned._ He thought absentmindedly. The demon pressed close to him, rubbing against Keiichi as though Mara was little more than a friendly house cat. For once, Keiichi took it all in stride, wrapping an arm around the demon torso and being mindful of the twisted metal erupting from the creature's shoulder blade. The fur was hot; hot in the same way a heated blanket was when left on too long. Mara didn't seem to mind the attention, something that surprised the man. "You really did come." He told her, not bothering to hide the bafflement in his voice. "So you can understand me then?"_

_Mara didn't respond in any way that could have signaled she understood him. Keiichi's smile faded somewhat. "Then why did you come for me?" He asked her, gaining nothing but a headbutt from the lynx instead. Keiichi smirked. "I guess I'm gonna have to help you remember, huh?" He asked her, gaining a curious chirp from the demon._

_Keeping one arm around the demon's body, Keiichi moved his other hand to one of his pockets, rummaging around before coming out with a cloth. "I really don't want to do this considering how nice your being..." He told her. "But I've got to repay you for saving me, so..." The man scrunched the cloth into a ball. Holding Mara firmly against him, Keiichi struck. "Wake up!" He cried, pressing the wadded cloth against the demons flesh. _

_Lightning danced across the lynx's body and Mara yowled in pain. The demon fought to escape Keiichi's grasp to no avail. The sparks hurt, stinging and biting into Keiichi's flesh just as the did the demon's. Keiichi grit his teeth and bore through it; however, hoisting the mad-demon into his lap and holding Mara all the tighter. _

_The lynx screamed at him, struggling desperately. Keiichi in turn let the cloth fall onto the twisted bit of metal, and then Mara really _did_ scream; a horrid sound that sound like it escaped a woman's throat over a feline's. The lynx burst into flame; one that burned him and quickly devoured the cloth. Keiichi released her then, lest he risk being scalded too badly by the fires. The man backpeddled, rapidly moving away from the demon before Mara could think to retaliate. Yet all too quickly it showed there to be no need for the act. Upon release the demon collapsed, the flames that bathed her body extinguishing before Keiichi's very eyes. _

_Shaking, Keiichi rose to his feet, slowly backing away from the now-unconscious demon in favor of Hotaru. His grandfather was waiting for him as the younger spirit approached. "I-I think it might have worked." Keiichi said warily, his gaze resting heavily on the still form of Mara. _

"_You think?" Hotaru challenged._

_Keiichi nodded his head. "Like I said before, Mara's really allergic to good luck charms. I don't know why, but I've seen some that are strong enough to cause memory loss in her...or regain that lost memory if used correctly against her." He looked at his hands, black with soot. "Hopefully it'll be the former and she'll wake up." He wiped his hands on his pants, grimacing when the soot only smeared against his jeans rather than fully coming off like he'd hoped. _

"_And if it doesn't?" _

"_Then I'm all out of ideas." Keiichi admitted._

_Hotaru frowned. "I see." He grumbled, eying Mara's limp form with distaste. "What of my handkerchief?" He asked, turning his dark gaze back to Keiichi. _

_The man avoided his gaze. "Yeah...about that..." He mumbled. "Mara...kind of...incinerated it." Keiichi scratched the back of his head nervously._

_Hotaru's eyes widened. "She did _what_?" He demanded, dark eyes shifting in between Keiichi and Mara. "Son of a...I'm going to kill the both of you!" He snapped._

_Keiichi jumped. "Don't blow my head up!" He cried._

_Hotaru grabbed the man by the collar. "You stupid idiot!" He cried. "Your grandmother gave me that handkerchief! It was the only memento I had of her prior to driving a fucking plane into a goddamned warship! And your pet demon _incinerated_ it!? Which one of y'all wants to cease to exist first?"_

_The younger spirit took a step back. "I'm sorry!" Keiichi cried. "She didn't do that last time." _

"_I don't care what she did last time. I care about what she did this time!" Hotaru retorted, taking two steps forward for every one step Keiichi took back. Another backstep and Keiichi was off in a run, Hotaru hot on his heels._

* * *

_Awakening to the sound of screams and yells was not a pleasant way to regain consciousness, Mara discovered. Body throbbing, the demon opened one red eye to a dark and bleary world. Dimly the entity tried to recall what had led her to such a world, yet only a sullen growl stirred her mind. Tufted ears twitched, following the direction of the sounds before Mara bothered to look to its source. What she saw made the demon blink. It took her a long moment to recognize Keiichi. It took her even longer to realize the man chasing him was _not_ Keiichi._

_Mind murky with shadows, explosions, and fire, the lynx slowly picked herself off the ground, panting lightly. The demon stared at her paws, wondering when she'd shifted. A single thought came in response. _Keiichi_. The demon stood, disliking the ache that permeated throughout her body. _I need to...Keiichi._ What was it that she'd come after him for?_

_Skuld. Something about Skuld. The child's pleading echoed withing Mara's skull, causing the feline to lay her ears back in annoyance. Keiichi had done something to upset Skuld; enough so that she'd crossed into his unconscious to retrieve him in vengeance._

_Yet that did not explain why she'd shifted upon entering his subconscious. Nor why her body pained her so or why she could not recall what had lead the demon there in the first place._

_And it certainly didn't explain why a spirit was chasing Keiichi around or why the man in question was sprouting some nonsense about his head exploding. The beast shook herself, sending a fresh cloud of ash into the air. It was time to see what this idiot was doing._

_With a soft grunt the demon took off after the two spirits in a sprint. Kicking up dirt and debris, Mara easily gained on the two men with her long strides, coming to race alongside the older spirit with a snarl. The man yelped when she bore her fangs at him, immediately diverting away from Keiichi in a desperate bid to escape the lynx. The one perpetrator gone, Mara focused her attention on Keiichi, who'd come to look back at her with wide, alarmed eyes. _That's right, you better run._ Mara thought, a growl emitting from her throat as she snapped at him. Fire licked at her jaws and Keiichi's expression grew more panicked, much to the demon's glee. _

_The man swore violently. "Grandpa, I think she remembers!" The man shouted, confusing the demon._

_From somewhere behind her another voice rose; the man who'd been chasing Keiichi, if Mara had to guess. "You act like that's a bad thing!" He snapped. "Wasn't that what you were intending to do when you let her INCINERATE MY HANDKERCHIEF!?"_

"_Yes!" Keiichi retorted. "Because now she's pissed and she's gonna burn me to a crisp!"_

"_Good!"_

"_You're an asshole, Old Man!"_

You two dolts fight more than a pair of siblings. _Mara projected in amusement._

_Keiichi yelped as though Mara physically struck him. "I'm hearing voices now!" He howled in panic, clutching his head wildly. "I've got a demon in my head and my dead grandfather is going to blow it up!" _

Of all the..._Mara's ears went back in annoyance, the amusement dying as quickly as it had manifested. _Belldandy really hooked herself something with this idiot._ She thought mildly. _I wonder...was it his stupidity that she was attracted to or did she actually see something worth pursuing in this knucklehead?

_Keiichi stiffened as the thought reached his mind. "Hey!" He shouted. "I heard th-" Mara pounced, knocking the man to the ground. The man hit the earth with a grunt and with it Mara made herself comfortable on his back, moving just close enough to give the man an impressive view of her fangs. Keiichi's time with the Norns had jaded his sense of respectful fear of demons in Mara's eyes, and it was about time to remind him of his place._

"_Grandma, what big teeth you have." Keiichi said lamely, spitting out a couple of pebbles that had managed to maneuver their way into his mouth upon kissing the ground._

_Well that certainly didn't go as hoped._

_Mara bristled and hissed at him. _Since when did you become such a smartass?_ She demanded._

_Keiichi looked up at her with one large dark eye. "Oh I don't know, probably around the time that I realized I was dead, there are zombie spirits in the afterlife that try to eat you, and that you gain the power to blow heads up with your _mind_. After a while you just start to say 'fuck it' and go with it. When did you become a lynx with an identity crisis?"_

_Mara lifted her head away from his faced, clearly unamused. She became even less amused when the blade of a _naginata_ came crashing down on her head._

_The demon twitched before slowly turning her head to the spirit connected to the butt end of the _naginata. _The metal was beginning to grow red-hot from the heat of her body and the wooden pole was blackening, looking close to igniting. Mara regarded the man with the same unamused cat expression she'd gifted Keiichi with. _You broke him, didn't you?

_The man, so similar to Keiichi in appearance, blinked. "Wha?" The man's jaw dropped._

_The lynx tilted her head, batting the weapon off her skull with one large paw. Perhaps too startled at the sudden voice in his head, the man didn't even react when the demon then snapped at the weapon, catching the blade in her mouth and biting the heated metal. When Mara finally released it, the blade was little more than a piece of twisted metal reminiscent of the hunk of steel sprouting from her own shoulder. _

_Mara returned her attention to Keiichi._ A little stressed, I take it_?_

_Keiichi's smile was strained. "Could you guess?"_

_The demon sneezed and shook herself before rising and hopping off Keiichi's back. The man slowly picked himself up, and as he did Mara examined their surroundings. _What are you even doing here?_ Mara asked, transmitting the thought to both men and holding a sadistic glee at how the two spirits twitched or flinched at the act. _Either of you? One is a spirit wandering around a man's subconscious and the other is a man bordering...death..._The demon trailed off, and with it, the dormant memories of_ _what had lead Mara to the borderland returned. _

_The demon froze._

_Then wheeled on Keiichi with a yowl. _You idiot! _Mara screamed. _Who said you could die!? _The demon demanded. _Do you know how much trouble you've caused me?_ The lynx growled, baring her teeth in rage. _Do you have any idea what I had to do in order to get here? _The demon released a heavy, frustrated sigh. _We're going back. Now. Before your body starts to rot or_ that_ one comes back for Skuld.

_Keiichi backed up, holding his hands in front of him as though to ward off an attack. "Wow, wow." He said. "Slow down. What's all this about Skuld? You can bring me back?"_

"_No, that shouldn't be right. There are only a handful of demons that have the ability to bring someone back from the dead."_

_Mara looked over her shoulder, sending an annoyed back at the invading spirit. _You think I don't know that?_ She snapped. _We're in the borderlands of Keiichi's mindscape, an area any minor nightmare can enter, let alone a Dreamwalker like myself._ The demon snorted._ From here, it's a simple matter of guiding Keiichi's spirit back to his body and 'poof', no more corpse._ The lynx looked at the man in disdain. _I'm a demon. I cheat. And since it obviously looks like you haven't done _your _job, I'll take full advantage of it.

_The demon returned her attention to Keiichi. _Skuld is exactly where I left her; guarding both out bodies in the tiny cell all of us are locked in. And hopefully that's where she'll stay until we can return. There are some rather unfavorable characters who've been eying her like a slab of meat since the lot of us were captured and I want to return before any of those demons discover I'm out.

"_Cell?" Dark brows furrowed together in confusion. "Wait Mara, what are you talking about? What cell? Why are we locked up? Who are you talking about?"_

_Mara regarded Keiichi with careful red eyes. _Boy...how much do you remember since that night in the shrine?

_Keiichi ran a hand through his hair. "Not much..." He admitted. "I-I remember the battle. The one with the demons fighting the demons who'd been attacking the Valkyries and us, and then one of those demons going for Belldandy..." The man shook his head. "Everything else became a blur after that. Except for the monster that I kept thinking was Hild." Mara froze at the man's words, and as he continued speaking, the lynx's fur began to bristle in alarm. "She-it-whatever-was going to kill me. I remember that because I could hear it in my head. The...the thing pitied me. It was angry with the people I was with for leaving me as I was rather then simply taking my life and ending my suffering." The man grimaced. "I remember being afraid. Terrified. I thought for sure my life was going to end. I pleaded with it. Begged it not to kill me. And for whatever reason it listened. But anything after that..." The man shook his head. _

A creature you thought was the Daimakaicho?_ Mara asked, red eyes large and dilated. _A large black beast? _She asked. _Do you know the color of its mane?

"_Silver, maybe white." Keiichi confirmed. "With too many glowing red eyes and a huge mouth with lots of teeth."_

_Ignorant of her own acts the demon crept back, belly low to the ground and ears flat against her head. _Impossible. _She thought. _That thing should have been...we made sure it was...

"_Mara, are you okay?"_

_The demon blinked, looking up at Keiichi in alarm. _We need to go back. If I'd known _that_ was still...And I left the girl alone with it!

"_What are you-"_

Skuld is in danger! _Mara interrupted with a shriek. _The girl is in danger...and so are we if we don't return to the physical world soon.

_Keiichi was silent, staring at the lynx in surprise. Then his gaze hardened into determination. "Then let's go." He said. "I wasn't planning on sticking around here long anyways."_

"_That might be a problem."_

_Together Mara and Keiichi turned to the older spirit. The man regarded them both with a frown. "I came here to take Keiichi back with me." He explained. "And had you come here peacefully Demon, I might have been able to let you leave with Keiichi without any hassle." Hotaru directed his gaze to his ruined _naginata _before closing his eyes with a sigh. "However, when you came here you created mischief amongst the ghouls in these borderlands like some lesser spirit." Hotaru shook his head. "You forced me to call it in, and..."_

_Off in the distance, the deep, bellowing sounds of _horagai_ rang forth, rising in pitch before dropping into a deep bellow once more. "Well...I was ordered to bring you back with me Keiichi." The man patted his side. Like magic a new _naginata _ appeared in a flash of light, just as the ruined one dissolved into nothing at his feet. "Whether you agreed to it or not."_

_Mara bared her teeth at the spirit. _Fool. You dare challenge me?_ She demanded. _I am Demon First-Class Femme Mara. By the power vested in me by the Serpent Below, you shall leave Keiichi with me! _The demon proclaimed._

_Yet Hotaru shook his head slowly, eyes centered on Mara. "No." He said. "There is only one woman who I answer two, be she demon, god, or otherwise, and you are not her. That woman's orders was to ensure Keiichi's safe journey into Yomi without the interference of any demons, even if the demon was the Daimakaicho herself."_

_Red eyes narrowed and flashed with rage. _Your master sent you to your doom, Boy. _She warned. _I won't spare you because you seem to know Keiichi. I'll send your head back to Izanami in a basket if that's what I need to do to take Keiichi back where he belongs.

_The horns were getting louder. In the distance and through the mist, foxfire began to appear; clustered and glowing a bright greenish-blue._ "_If that's what needs to be done in order to ensure Keiichi's safe travels, then so be it." Hotaru said. "I recognized your rank as soon as I saw you, Demon, and don't think my Lady hasn't prepared for you. You'll have your hands full enough just dealing with an army of _Ikusa_, let alone returning Keiichi to the physical plane." _

_The man swung his weapon down, letting it halt an inch from Mara's nose. The metal sparked, and a bolt of electricity reached out to bite the demon's snout. Mara snarled in rage and pain, backing away from the blade with a growl. Hotaru held his place. "And thanks to my good-willed grandson, I now know the means with which to defeat you." A cloth was tied to the weapon; a hanky perhaps, or maybe a handkerchief._

"_Grandpa, what are you doing?" Keiichi demanded. "This is ridiculous! A minute ago you were helping be bring Mara back to her senses so this kind of thing wouldn't happen. What's wrong with you?" He demanded, moving towards Hotaru only to be stopped by Mara's warning growl._

"_Keiichi, shut your mouth and get over here. I'm not risking you as collateral." The man said gruffly._

"_I..." The man trailed off, his gaze torn between the demonic lynx positioning herself between him and Hotaru and his grandfather. _Skuld's in danger._ He reminded himself with a frown. The man shook his head. "No...no Grandpa. I'm staying with Mara on this one. I need to go back." _

_Hotaru' eyes widened in shock. "You'd choose a demon over your own?"_

_Keiichi's smile was slim. "You said it yourself, Gramps. I'm an anomaly. I don't belong here because I've spent to much time around Gods and Demons and because of that I don't belong here. Well, if what you said about Belldandy not being able to reach me is true, then I guess I'll have to throw myself in with the demon who knows her instead."_

_Hotaru grimaced. "Damned fool-boy really is just like his mother." He grumbled. "Too strong willed for his own good, going off with troublemakers that will only lead to hard times down the road."_

"_You leave that for me to decide, Old Man."_

_The _horagai_ were dreadful moans now. The foxfire had given form to distant, humanoid silhouettes; unnaturally tall and rail thin, all holding long polearms ranging from spears to _naginata_ to _nagamaki_. Large, triangular straw hats hid their faces, and as the _Yomotsu Ikusa _grew visible, so too did their graying flesh and plated armor. Strange, archaic symbols ran up and down their limbs like tattoos, their gait as crazed and unsteady as any ghouls. _

"_I see." Hotaru murmured, a shadow descending upon his body. "I see...Then if you will not walk by my side through the Gates of Yomi," his form seemed to stretch, lengthen, and compress, becoming like those slowly approaching the demon and spirit. _

"_Than you shall walk behind me through the Gates of Yomi in chains."_

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: I wrote most of this story when I was sicker then a dog. I forgot how good soup was when you're sick. The 'head-explody in the afterlife' idea is owned by Jhonen Vasquez in JTHM,borrowed by The Simpsons, and reinterpreted by me. Anyways, I tried to make this a semi-realistic scenario in regards to a dead japanese army, however if there are any experts out there who see I've made a royal mess of things, by all means feel free to speak up and let me know. Happy failed Mayan Apocalypse!  
_

_Special thanks to Will for proofreading this chapter and providing a sanity check for me._


	33. Fight for the Soul

_Mara bared her teeth at Hotaru in a snarl, a deep, angry growl reverberating within her throat. _Keiichi, get back!_ She screamed within Keiichi's head. Cautiously, the spirit did as ordered, backing away from his grandfather's mutating form. Mara took his place, head bowed lowed and fur bristling with anger, an unmistakable hiss parting the demon's throat in warning._

_Before them Hotaru's form began to lengthen, muscle mass seeming to waste away before Keiichi's very eyes in favor of lengthening limbs. It created an eerily tall, stick-like figure, his flesh graying out like sickly old leather. Atop his head a helmet appeared, blocking the spirit's face before Keiichi could see whatever haunting changes took over the man's expression. The overall result was a creature human in shape only. _

_The creature that was once Hotaru held its naginata before it in a low moan before lurching forward unsteadily. It ignored the heavy warning noises from Mara and instead swung its weapon at the demon in a diagonal loop. The air seemed to almost sing at the speed of the blade's movement and perhaps it was for that reason that Mara did not dodge. Perhaps the demon misjudged the weapon and its owner as unthreatening. Keiichi wasn't sure. Regardless, the blade collided with the lynx hard enough to send the beast to the ground with a scream. Arcs of electricity danced across the creature's flesh and Keiichi could see where the blade itself had been lucky enough to pierce Mara's fur._

_It caused a shiver to worm its way down Keiichi's spine. Hotaru released another long, drawn-out moan, unsteadily readying himself for another attack. The bolts of yellow were beginning to fade from Mara's form and before Keiichi even realized what he was doing, the man was darting towards the demon. _

_Hotaru brought his blade down towards the demon once more, and with it Keiichi lunged at the lynx. The man caught the large cat in his arms in a roll, one that swiftly sent them tumbling out of the incoming blade's path. Rolling onto his feet, Keiichi was up and off in a sprint before the realization of what he'd done traveled to his brain._

_Mara felt light in his hands and something warm was making his fingers sticky. He could feel Mara's heart pounding against his chest and her hot breath steaming the air. The ash from her fur was suffocating, getting into Keiichi's lungs and causing the man to wheeze. _

_The lynx stirred in his arms. _Head north._ She muttered in his mind. _Head towards your mindscape. We need to get away from the Ikusa.

"_Sounds great." Keiichi replied. "So which way is north?"_

_The lynx grumbled something incomprehensible. _Go right. _She said. In a softer voice, one Keiichi guessed wasn't supposed to be for his ears, he heard her mutter_, eternally lost boy.

_Choosing not to respond, Keiichi diverted right, trying hard to ignore the ash that was getting into his eyes and lungs. "You know Mara, you really need to cut down on this smoking habit of yours, it's gonna get you killed one of these days!" _

Have you always been such a smartass? _Came Mara's sardonic reply. _Does Belldandy know about this sarcastic streak of yours?

_Keiichi just coughed._

_Behind them, Hotaru's long moan was multiplied by others. Risking a quick look behind him, Keiichi felt his heart beat quicken just a little more. The Ikusa were all identical to each other, aside from Hotaru, who still wore the Japanese Army uniform from before. The soldier was loping after them at a nerve wracking pace, the spirit's long legs covering twice the distance Keiichi was trying to keep between them. Behind him came his fellows, comrades bare of clothing aside from a dark gray vest and loincloth. They looked thin and gaunt, what muscle they did have lean and wiry. _

_Keiichi cursed violently and ran faster. _Why me?_ He wondered morosely._

Because you're Belldandy's man, that's why._ Mara snapped. _Just shut up and keep running. They won't be able to follow us for much longer, trust me.

"_You want me to trust a demon?" Keiichi replied in mock disbelief. "You never told me you had a sense of humor, Mara!"_

Don't make me bite you, jackass._ Mara growled, claws pricking Keiichi's flesh in warning. _You humans may taste like shit, but that doesn't mean I can't devour you.

_For a brief moment the world suddenly felt charged and energized, as though the man had gone outside before a lightning storm. Then the feeling passed as though nothing had happened, yet the insistent groans at his back prevented the man from dwelling on the source. _

We should be safe for a while now._ Mara's rough voice growled in his mind. _You can stop running now.

_Panting, Keiichi risked a glance behind him. Hotaru and the other Ikusa had come to a halt several feet back, none of whom took another step towards him. Instead the army of deceased souls swarmed around Hotaru, spreading out around Keiichi's grandfather and forming a wall of spirits. "What the hell is going on?" Keiichi asked between breaths, slowing to a jog and then a walk as the man turned to observe the Army of the Dead. It was almost as though there was an invisible barrier preventing the dead soldiers from coming closer._

_One of the Ikusa, a soldier armed with a spear, lashed out before itself. The spear seemed to freeze mid-swing before slowly sinking downwards, as though the polearm was cutting through an invisible metal._ They can't come any further._ Mara said, tail thrashing against Keiichi's arm. _At least not yet. We've returned to your mindscape, Keiichi; a living realm that the dead have no authority on entering.

"_But…aren't I dead?"_

Technically yes. _Mara sounded uncomfortable, the demon squirming until Keiichi was forced to stop and put her down. The lynx shook herself. _You're heart stopped beating and you ceased to breath, which is what originally lead you into the borderlands in the first place. I was able to revive your heart through an electric shock, leaving your body in a coma until I could retrieve you. Now that you are back in what is essentially your body, you're no longer in danger of a more permanent death.

"_My mindscape, huh?" Keiichi looked back towards the Ikusa. Several other soldiers were assaulting the invisible barrier, each with varying degrees of success. "Is that why Gramps and his buddies aren't coming any closer?"_

_The lynx bared her teeth at the spirits in a snarl. _Yes._ She told him. _A living body's mindscape is a land taboo to the Army of the Dead. But that won't stop them from trying._ The cat sneezed._ And unfortunately that wall holding them back from us can only stand so much abuse. It will fall before they tire, and I can't properly guide you back to the world of the living with a bunch of dead spirits haunting your unconscious.

_Keiichi grimaced. "Can't you just wake me up before that happens?"_

_The lynx glared up at him with angry red eyes. _And what, scar your unconscious?_ The demon shook herself in a manner Keiichi was starting to associate with a head shake. _Something like that is too risky for a mortal like you.

"_Careful Mara. You almost sound like you care about me." Keiichi muttered under his breath. "So then what are we supposed to do?"_

_A tufted ear flicked, folding back to listen to the spirits at the barrier. The demon's eyes never strayed from Keiichi. _We bring them to our territory._ Mara bared her teeth in a mute snarl. _We make them fight on our terms. We overwhelm them and force them to retreat.

"_And how are we supposed to do that?" Keiichi demanded. "Hate to break it to you Mara, but last I checked we were outnumbered two to a hundred."_

Easily_. The demon retorted. _You speak with the original nightmara, Keiichi. I am a dreamwalker; one who manipulates the realms of the unconscious for her own deviance. It is this power that revived your body boy, and this power that we shall use to send them back. _Mara narrowed her eyes. _But in order to unlock the full extent of such abilities, I'll need your help._ She admitted._

Just this one time, I'll need to enlist your aid, Keiichi.

_Keiichi stared down at the demon, then shifted his attention to the Ikusa clashing against the barrier. The man's gaze hardened. _

"_Just tell me what to do."_

* * *

Don't lose yourself, Keiichi. It may destroy your soul.

_The Ikusa's moans were long and guttural. The calls mingled with the rhythmic blows of their weapons against an invisible wall, creating an almost unheard 'clang'. On the other side of the barrier, the demon and the spirit resided, retreating to a cluster of boulders that seemed to arise from the ground as though by magic. The earth rumbled uneasily, causing several Ikusa to pause in confusion and then the ground before them seemed to split open into a giant fissure. Like a scar in the earth, it split apart the ground behind the barrier. Several Ikusa stumbled back into one another in an effort to escape the crack while others came to a halt mid-swing with weapons hefted above their heads. _

_Further off, the cluster of boulders containing the spirit and demon within abruptly erupted into flame, as though the rocks were made of brush and set alight. Small fireballs parted from the main fire in bursts, and from where they landed creatures erupted forth, born of flame and earth._

_There forms were many; beasts sharp of tooth, long of claw. Men and women with too many arms and snarling faces. Monsters which dripped venom from their maws, green with poison. Creatures alight with flame and ash, they watched the Ikusa with heated, burning red eyes. Tall, lumbering giants with faces pointing all directions observed from a distance while an army of black, formless figures with glowing red eyes emerged from the shadows. _

_The monstrosities stared at the Ikusa with raging eyes, snarling and screeching challenges at the undead warriors. The creatures surrounded the ring of fire, and no longer could the Ikusa make out the form of the spirit and the demon, engulfed in flames and bordered by monsters on all sides. _

_Yet intimidation was nothing for Ikusa. Spirits who'd seen far worse and faced death by a tenth fold, fear was an emotion long forgotten by the undead warriors. With weapons in hand they shrieked in turn, waving blades and spear points above their heads; accepting the challenge brought forth by the beasts. A call from one sent all the warriors into a frenzy of assault and within minutes an ear-piercing shatter rang through the land._

_The barrier between worlds destroyed, the Ikusa surged through. Without hesitation they leaped over the fissure in the new earth. Death had removed the physical limitations of the bodies, had freed their minds of the doubts that would have sent them plummeting to their deaths. _

_The soldiers passed the crevice with ease, finding their opponents eagerly awaiting them on the other side. The black, shadowy minions were upon them as soon as the Ikusa's feet touched the soil. Immediately the first wave of Ikusa were pushed backwards. Many fell into the jagged abyss they'd leaped over. Others prevented their brethren from obtaining a foothold and sent them crashing into the pit as well. _

_However the Ikusa were nothing if not adaptable. Those with swords rushed on without hesitations, blades naked before their bodies and biting into the flesh of their shadowy opponents. Others armed with polearms attacked from a distance, killing their foes from across the crevice and hooking their opponents with curved ends. Like the Ikusa, the shades were dragged into the pit as well, forcing an opening that allowed the Ikusa to surge. Those armed with bows attacked behind the pole-bearers, their aim sharp and deadly as they picked down one nightmare after another._

_The soldiers forged on, striking down the shades and in turn being struck down. All around them shades fell and exploded in black smoke. Their fallen comrades rose beneath their fees once more, weapons protruding from their torsos and seemingly unaware of the injuries rendered upon them. From behind their ranks their comrades rose from the crevice, crawling from the pit and joining the other Ikusa in battle. They broke through the final rank of shades only to be assaulted in turn by beasts that resembled men and men that resembled beasts. _

_Venom poured from the inhuman maws, and where poison dripped Ikusa flesh hissed and dissolved. Screams of the Army of the Dead joined the beastly howls of their opponents, and yet still the Ikusa continued forth undaunted. Soldiers bearing spears hurled them at their opponents, their aim skilled and deadly. Screams of humans, screams of animals, rank throughout the battlefield as man-beasts and beast-men dropped and died. Arrows rained down from the skies further back, littering the ground with monstrous corpses filled with wooden shafts; a horrid mockery of sleeping hedgehogs. _

_And still the battle raged._

_Locked within a ring of fire though he was, guarded and protected by the creatures of nightmares, somehow Keiichi saw it all. A confusing mess of the senses, the man lay curled in a ball within the circle of flames, holding the lynx that was Mara tightly in his arms. He could feel the beat of the demons heart against his own chest just as surely as he felt the claws of her nightmares; his claws now, tear into an Ikusa soldier. A demon screamed its anger to the world, and Keiichi felt his own throat grow raw from its ferocity. A beastly woman with four arms struck down an Ikusa and the pleasure felt was as much his as Mara's. A shade looked towards a beast for help, and through two pairs of vibrant red eyes Keiichi beheld himself as though looking into a mirror._

"_Don't lose yourself, Keiichi." He spoke with multiple voices, echoing across the battlefield and within his mind, leaving the man with the image of a pair of feline red eyes in his head. Mara's gaze seemed to pierce his very soul. "Remember, though you ride at my side, you are no demon. You are human. Don't forget that in this battle, lest you lose yourself completely to a demon's wiles."_

_The eyes closed and vanished, and the two beasts which stared at one another parted in favor of the battlefield once more. And from them both, a piece of Keiichi rode at their sides, heart racing in beat with the hearts of nightmares and hands red with the blood of their fallen opponents. _

_The war continued._

_Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he ducked under a spear swipe. In another area, he fell to that same attack. His fingers tore through the flesh of his opponents and his body dissolved as an Ikusa soldier struck him down. His mouth burned with fire and tasted of blood. The spirit tore apart an Ikusa and shrieked as his stomach was sliced open. His neck was pierced in the same moment his claws crushed an enemy's throat. Pain seared down his back as he flung a body into the mass of chaos surrounding him. For every scratch inflicted, every puncture earned, every death experienced by the nightmares, Keiichi felt them. Each howl of victory, every enraged shriek and thrill of adrenaline were as real to Keiichi as if they were his own._

_The pain was maddening. The power more so._

_For the first time in his life Keiichi experienced the overwhelming power of a tenth-dimensional being. He wanted to scream. He wanted to cry. He wanted to throw his head back and howl with laughter. _

_He wanted more._

_The power was a drug and he was hooked, hungering for more strength as he simultaneously killed and died. With a thought alone a boulder exploded into flaming comets. More crevices opened up around the many versions of himself to swallow his enemies. Lakes of lava sprang forth, warm and harmless against his body yet deadly and burning to the Ikusa. He smiled, pulling lips lined with sharp teeth back as he tackled his opponents to the ground, drowning them in lakes of fire. His laughter was harsh, horrid, and not his own._

_The man could no longer distinguish between which thoughts were his own versus those of the demon. The emotions, the pain, the strength; all became his own and Keiichi relished it. The spirit raged. The man destroyed. Keiichi slaughtered. He couldn't stop; didn't want to stop, and slowly Keiichi's desires began to consume him._

Enough! _A voice screamed in anger. Something clamped down on Keiichi's throat, piercing the flesh and obstructing his breath. Baffled he looked at his other selves, yet though he stared through many eyes none seemed to realize the restraints at his neck. The fights continued, yet now Keiichi felt distinctively separate from the rest of the nightmarish army._

_Something hot and damp was against his neck now, adding to the crushing pain at his throat. His breaths came shorter, and a sliver of fear that felt alien in the heat of the battlefield slid down his spine. Something was wrong, yet the man was unable to tell what it was. From one nightmare to another the spirit searched, growing desperate in his need to discover the source of the pain. _

_Yet it was not until one such creature gazed towards the ring of fire that Keiichi discovered the source of the pressure. A pair of red eyes met his from beyond the flames and the man was suddenly paralyzed, unable to look away. The beast whose eyes he used to see held its gaze with Mara, forcing Keiichi to stare unblinking at his own body. _

_Mara was up and active once more, no longer within the trance she'd allowed herself to fall into in order to summon her various personas. The lynx stood stiffly atop Keiichi's body, fur bristled in anger. The demon's head was bowed near his body and the demon glared up at him in rage. The beast was stooped over his body, and he could see where Mara was biting into his own throat and-_

_And his eyes flew open, a scream of fear and pain tearing from his throat as he fought the lynx off in a panic. "No!" He shrieked, feeling the jaws of death unclamp from his throat. Keiichi barely noticed, flailing against the lynx even as Mara retreated. "Get back!" He shouted. "I'm not going to let you kill me!" _

_Moisture trickled down the back of his neck and a hand clamped down upon it. It came away slick and red. He stared at the red in horror, his breath coming in quick and erratic. "I'm bleeding." He wheezed, staring from his hand to Mara. "What did you do to me!?"_

_The lynx moved towards him, and immediately Keiichi scampered away. He could feel the heat of the fire at his back. The flames seemed overly loud with the roars of the battlefield around him, popping and snapping in his ears loud enough to drown out any other sound. Mara paused at his retreat, a paw in the air as she stared into his eyes. She reminded him of a stalking beast, readying to pounce on its unsuspecting prey._

Keiichi Morisato, you are a fool. _Her voice was icy in his skull, and despite the nearby flames the spirit felt uncomfortably cool. _You disobeyed me, forsake my warning to you. _The lynx bared its teeth in a snarl. _You turned your back on your own humanity in favor of a taste of power, and it nearly cost you your very existence. _Slowly the lynx approached him, body low to the ground as she stalked towards the spirit. The man couldn't move however. Not unless he wished to sacrifice himself to the flames. _I brought you back._ The demon continued. _I brought you back because I needed you, and I did it the only way I knew how. Through pain._ Her jaws parted, allowing him to see the blood that stained her fangs. _And fear.

Do you feel the blood running down your neck? Remember, as it shows you bleed like a human.

Do you feel the pain in your throat from my bite? Remember, as it is a sign of your mortality.

Do you feel the beat of your heart? Do you hear how it races wildly? Remember, as it shows that you still live.

_The demon was close enough for him to touch now and Keiichi cringed, unable to break his gaze from the lynx. _I have broken the flesh of your spirit, Keiichi Morisato, mortal who consorts with the deities. I have made you bleed so that you will forever remember your humanity. Let that wound on your throat scar your spirit and forever stay with your many lives. Never forget the dangers of temptation. Never forget the warnings given by a demon and ignored in imprudence. Do you _understand_? _She was screaming at him now, both physically and mentally and for a moment Keiichi feared he'd go mad._

"_I get it!" He howled in desperation, clutching his ears with hands stained with dirt. "I understand!" The lynx's screams fell silent, and Keiichi stared at Mara with half-mad eyes. The lynx stared back expectantly. "I-I understand." He said, swallowing nervously. "You warned me and I screwed up. I lost it and you brought me back. I understand." The man closed his eyes and sucked in a deep breath, letting it out in a hiss between his teeth. "I understand. And I won't let it happen again." The spirit opened his eyes once more, and though they stared at Mara wearily his dark eyes were determined. "No more riding side-saddle with you though." His voice wavered weakly. "I do things from here. No temptations." The spirit shook his head. "Not again."_

_The lynx's eyes narrowed and Mara panted in laughter. _Good._ She said. _Then we shall have no more problems. _The demon turned and walked away from him, allowing Keiichi to retreat from the fire. His neck felt dry and crusty with blood dried by the flames. _Then I have only one last request of you, Keiichi._ The demon shifted her gaze towards the battlefield, where Ikusa were torn apart yet still stubbornly came after their enemies; crawling with one hand and batting at nightmares with the other._

Make it burn, Keiichi. Make it all burn.

_The man rubbed his neck with a grimace, his heart yet to calm from his recent bought with Mara. The spirit took several deep breaths, vainly trying to ease the beat into a soundless echo in his head once more. The adrenaline rush began to fade. With it, a thought entered his mind. There he allowed it to settle, closing his eyes and watching as it began to evolve into an idea._

_Suddenly the world around him erupted in flame. The lava streams began to expand into rivers, into lakes. The nightmares sloshed through the molten liquid as though it were water, the Ikusa igniting in fire and cinder. _Sorry Grandpa._ Keiichi thought, opening his eyes once more and watching as his mindscape was flooded with liquid fire. _But I need to get back to Belldandy.

_The horrid screams and victorious howls rang throughout his mindscape like a horrid symphony, and where once Keiichi had felt a demon's bloodlust at the cries, now only a distressed exhaustion remained. The man grimaced, drawing a leg up and propping an elbow on his knee. The spirit cradled his head in his hand. "I'm done." He said numbly. "I'm tired of all this running. Of all this fighting." Keiichi sighed. "I…I just want to go back to my body."_

You'll get your wish soon enough, Boy._ Mara's voice rang in his skull, and gingerly Keiichi touched his throat. It no longer bled, and where once there was broken flesh he could feel unbroken sensitive skin. _

_Scar tissue._

_Around them the sea of lava began to cool; faster than should have been possible, the red sea darkened into a black and jagged ocean. Spires in the forms of limbs and torso erupted from the crystallizing heat, creating horrid statues that only vaguely represented the Army of the Dead. No Ikusa moved and with it, the nightmares began to dissolve, vanishing in black smoke that dissipated into the air. _

_The adrenaline that once so filled him with energy was fading. In its place came exhaustion, and Keiichi watched with lackluster as the ring of fire began to fade. "Finally." Keiichi muttered, running a hand along his neck. "It's over."_

_Mara moved to sit at his side. Keiichi flinched. _Not yet. _She said. _I sense something else approaching.

"_More Ikusa?" Keiichi asked, burying his face in his hands. "Or is it more ghouls?" The man peeked at her from the corner of one eye. "If it's ghouls, save 'em for me. I want to see if I can't make their heads explode like my grandfather."_

_The lynx sent him a queer look. _I think you spent a little too much time with the nightmaras._ She muttered. _You better not be saying such things around Belldandy, Boy. That blasted goddess will tan my hide and make a coat of me if she finds out I broke you.

_Keiichi smiled weakly. "You certainly have a morbid sense of humor, Mara." He shook his head. "I doubt Belldandy would do something that extreme to someone she knows."_

_Again the lynx sent him a look that stated she didn't quite believe him, yet otherwise Mara said nothing more on the topic. Instead she said, _the presence is stronger than Ikusa or ghouls._ The lynx rose. _Perhaps some minor underworld deity or higher spirit. Nothing that can't easily be handled.

_Keiichi followed her gaze south, watching as a new figure approached from the Borderlands of the Dead. A shadowy figure, its form grew vaguely female. "You certainly sound confident."_

_Mara's tail slashed through the air angrily. _I've faced worse._ She replied. _Besides, perhaps I can…_persuade_ this stranger to rid your mindscape of the Ikusa souls.

_Keiichi looked at the lynx in surprise. "But didn't we defeat them all?"_

_The lynx shook herself. _Defeated is different from destroyed, Keiichi, _she said. _Even in their current state, the Ikusa still exist within your soul. They still need to go in order for us to leave.

_The man sent her a defeated look. "And we just buried them under how many pounds of cooled lava?"_

_Mara bristled, baring her fangs at the man in warning. _Stop bitching. We defeated them, didn't we? Half the battle is already won. We just need to get them out now. _ The lynx turned her gaze back to the approaching stranger, dressed in a white kimono and whose face was obscured by a tangled knot of black hair. _That's what they're for.

_Keiichi squinted, staring at the stranger with furrowed brows. "She's dressed like she's dead." He commented, a shiver running down his back. "See how the kimono's crossed with the left side over the right?" Keiichi asked, "That's only done with corpses."_

_Mara snorted. _Well at least we know she's Japanese. _She muttered sarcastically._

_Before them the woman in white came to a stop. She stood far enough away from the crevice that Keiichi judged her to still be in the deadlands. The mass of black hair hid her eyes from sight, yet Keiichi still felt as though the stranger was staring right at him. The woman pointed. "I have come for the lost soul." Her nails were long, yellow, and jagged. "Return him to me at once, Demon, that I might guide him to Yomi." The white woman's voice was harsh and raspy, causing Keiichi's skin to crawl._

_A soft growl rumbled within Mara's throat. _Do I get a name of the creature that makes such demands?_ She demanded. _Surely you cannot expect me to trust this soul that I have to an unknown spirit.

"_I am no simple spirit." The stranger retorted. "You speak to the representative of Lady Izanami herself. I am one of the eight Yomotsu-Shikome. Word has passed to Yomi of a demon taking possession of a lost soul. It was I who sent the company of Ikusa against you; however, with their failure it has been decided that a different approach was needed." The Shikome tilted her head towards Mara. "You are not the mad demon I received reports of." She commented. "One capable of defeating a company of Ikusa is far from a mad beast."_

So you've come to bargain with me then?_ Mara asked. _From what I've heard so far, I'm not impressed. You need to practice your bartering skills.

_The Shikome cackled; a dry, horrid laugh that made Keiichi cringe. "I barter. Yes, I barter. Your life for his life, Demon."_

_Mara's ears twitched. _That's quite a demand to impose on a demon first class, Shikome._ She warned. _In the long run, I've got to say that this sounds like a bit of a rip off._ The demon stalked towards the woman, back arched aggressively. _Tell me, how do you intend to back up this 'barter' of yours?

_The haggish old woman smiled, revealing black gums. Most of her teeth were missing. "Only a fool!" She screeched. "Only a fool, only a fool!" She pointed towards the demon. "Only a fool such as you would challenge the might of the Underworld! A curse, a curse it is! A curse to the one who would spit upon Lady Izanami's feet!"_

_The small cat's ears folded down against her skull. _What the hell are you talking about?

_The Shikome cackled once more. "Not Helr, foul beast. It is Lady Izanami who you insult! It is the dark queen of Nippon's Underworld whom you dare anger, whom you would risk a most awful curse upon oneself with the coming of death!" The creature hissed. "A demon such as you should know the dangers of angering one of the Lords of the Netherworld."_

_Mara paused, tilting her head to one side in consideration. _I know of such dangers. _She said. _However I still refuse your demands.

"_You are a fool!"_

You're the fool! _Mara bellowed. _You, who have no authority in the mindscape of the unconscious! You, who makes demands of a demon on its own territory of a spirit within its own mind! _The demon roared. _As a demon first class and the original nightmare, I claim that you hold no jurisdiction here! So long as the spirit of Keiichi Morisato, your rouge spirit, rests here at my side, neither you nor Ikusa nor Izanami herself may touch him!

_Startled at the ferocity of the demon, Keiichi stared at Mara in surprise. From what little he knew of the demon, it felt almost as though he were listening to another person. He'd seen the demon beg and cower and bully others before, yet he'd never known the demon to actually _defend_ another person before. _What's gotten into her? _He wondered, not for the first time since awakening in the foreign world. _What's she trying to accomplish by protecting me?

_His thoughts were left unanswered as Mara growled angrily at the Shikome. The kimono-adorned woman hissed back, lips black and swollen with rot pulling back in a sneer. "You still disobey?" She demanded. "Must I force you to this land then? Is that what it will take for you to submit to this Shikome?" The woman raised a hand over her head. The flesh was white, the veins beneath visible and black, trailing down the woman's white flesh like sinister tattoos. "Then so be it!"_

_The Shikome released a shriek that caused Keiichi to clamp his hands over his ears. A ways in front of him he saw Mara flinch in pain, and then came the grinding roar of an alien beast. The earth began to shake, and Keiichi fought to hold his balance. "Hey, what's going on?" The spirit demanded. "No monsters in my mindscape! No monsters in my mindscape!" He cried, feeling his stomach drop with despair as he looked around desperately._

_A chunk of protruding obsidian cracked and crumbled away, and Keiichi watched in horror as the hand that laid petrified within began to squirm and twitch. "No…The Ikusa…" The man turned to face the frozen army, watching in horror as more and more of the crystallized lave began to break away, freeing those that lay trapped within. "Shit, Mara we need to get out of here. We're going to be surrounded if we don't put some distance between us and them!"_

_What were they thinking? Keiichi looked around at the rising spirits wearily. The two of them had placed themselves right at the edge of the fissure Keiichi had created in challenge to the Ikusa. The duo had set themselves up in a trap of their own making; the fissure and the Shikome before them and the Ikusa company at their backs. "Mara!" He shouted. "Let's go!"_

_Laughter echoed through his mind, causing the hair on his scalp to stick up in alarm. _I see, so this is your plan?_ Mara asked, her attention focused on the Shikome. _Clever, aren't you? It seems there is a brain within that rotting head of yours. And here I just thought you were mad!_ More laughter ran through his mind and Keiichi shivered, suddenly feeling cold. _

"_Damn it, what are you doing?" Keiichi demanded, "This isn't the time to be insulting the person controlling an army of the dead behind us! We need to _leave_ now!"_

_Mara ignored him, choosing instead to bare her teeth at the Shikome in a mockery of a smile. _You're serious about this, aren't you?

_The woman refused to comment._

I see. _Mara's voice almost sounded like a purr. _Then how about _I _offer some conditions on this bargain of yours? _Mara inquired. _ You see, I'd like to make a deal with you.

"_A deal?" This seemed to catch the Shikome's attention. "And why should I form a deal with a demon such as yourself? I am Shikome. I do not associate myself with the demons of Niflheim."_

_Something had changed in Mara's bearing. The anger was gone and in its place was something else. Something Keiichi wasn't sure he wanted to recognize. _That may be true, but as it is, your rouge spirit is in _my_ hands now._ Mara challenged. _It is in your best interest to at least hear me out before trying to _take_ me out. _The lynx glanced back towards Keiichi, and despite himself Keiichi turned as well. Several of the Ikusa had managed to free themselves from their black prisons and were approaching them, weapons at the ready once more._

_A gurgling sound echoed within the Shikome's throat and the freed Ikusa paused. "Speak quickly, Demon."_

_Keiichi could almost feel the demon's smile. _I initially misjudged you. _Mara confessed. _Now I see that such an act will cost me. Know however that I am a proud demon. I will not allow you to win if you initiate an attack; instead I shall wreak havoc on this mindscape. I will have no reason to hold back anymore and not only will the souls of your Ikusa be forfeit, but the soul of Keiichi Morisato as well.

"_What!?"_

_Mara ignored him. _You see the spirit next to me yourself, Shikome! He is the reason I am here; Keiichi Morisato is simultaneously under my protection and my claws. Should you attack he shall be the first to be destroyed and with his spirit no longer existing so too shall his mindscape cease to exist. You can kiss your Ikusa goodbye and only then will I deal with you!

"_Mara, what are you saying?" Keiichi stumbled away from the demon in shock. Just a minute ago she'd…_

"_Selfish beast, listen to what you're saying!" The Shikome screamed. "Have you so little regard for others? Why come after the spirit in the first place!?"_

Selfish? _Mara cried in mock surprise. _You call me selfish? _A horrid laugh echoed through Keiichi's skull. _Shikome, you have no idea how right you are. It is precisely because I am a 'selfish beast' that you won't have Keiichi!_ Mara screamed. _I came here on the desperate pleads of a child who is under _my _protection. Just as this boy is under _my _rule. Do you not see, Shikome? _Keiichi Morisato belongs to me._ Now tell me, are the losses of so many souls worth it to you?

_The Shikome hissed. "You said a deal." The woman snarled. "I hear no deal from you, only threats. What is it you want, Selfish Demon?"_

_A soft rumble reverberated in Mara's chest. _This is my deal,_ she said, _a dual between the two of us. Your Ikusa shall not interfere. In the same regards, neither shall I summon my nightmaras to my aid. It shall be a battle just between the two of us.

"_A dual…" The Shikome hissed, tilting her head to one side in consideration. "And to the victor shall get what spoils, Selfish Demon?"_

_Mara bared her teeth in a mockery of a smile. _Selfish I may be, but I am also a demon who grants contracts. No demon, regardless of how selfish she is, would be allowed to form pacts with anyone should the deal not be fair. And so I offer this pact to you: Should you win, I shall hand Keiichi Morisato's soul over to you without a fight and depart the deadlands peacefully.

"_And should you win?"_

_Mara's laughter was a throaty rasp in Keiichi's mind. _Then Keiichi's soul belongs to me. You shall take your Ikusa and depart this mindscape and we shall leave for the world of the living once more.

_The Shikome watched the mortal and demon thoughtfully. "We fight on these lands." She said finally. "Where I know you will not go back on your word." The pale woman spread her hands behind her, gesturing to the borderlands of the dead. _

No._ Was Mara's immediate reply. _I will not risk the interruption of ghouls or other less-savory creatures. We fight here, in Keiichi's mindscape.

_The Shikome snarled at the demon. "We will fight in these lands or not at all!" She snapped. "I'll not have you going back on your word! You think me a fool, Selfish Demon? I know you can only summon those other avatars through the use of a living host! _

_The lynx paused, tail swaying slowly from side to side. Finally Mara bowed her head in submission, and to Keiichi it almost sounded as though her words were pleased. _Fine. We fight on your turf, Dead One.

_Keiichi watched as the lynx vaulted easily over the deep fissure in his mind, through the broken barrier and back into the borderlands of the dead. Around him, the once-buried Ikusa surrounded him, and Keiichi swallowed nervously. _My life is no longer my own. _He realized. _It's a bargaining chip between a demon and a zombie._ A wave of cold washed across his body, and the man shivered. _Belldandy…Urd…Skuld…anyone, please let me survive this. I don't want to know what will happen if Mara fails…

* * *

_This can't be happening. I must be imagining this. There's no way they're still alive. _Skuld's breath came rapidly, brown eyes never leaving the murder above her head. "H-how did you escape?" The girl's voice was trembling, yet Skuld found herself caring little. "I saw you…the Daimakaicho, it-" the youth bit her lip nervously.

Above her head the red crow shook itself. "Child, what madness are you speaking of?" It asked. "And what's all this about the Daimakaicho? Who are you, Lass?"

"What?" _They don't…do they not know who I am? _"I'm Skuld!" The teen cried. "Don't you remember? You helped me when I escaped from the cell. You saved me from the Daimakaicho-monster!"

The black crow tilted its head to one side. "Child, we've not laid eyes on you until this very moment." It said. "And the Daimakaicho is not within this fortress. She is close, yet our forces have managed to hold her off so far. How could we have helped you against a demon that is not here?"

"But…" The dark haired youth grit her teeth. _How could they just reappear like this? It's not like they're monsters in a video game that just respawn after a little while. And they don't even recognize me!_

The white crow descended, landing near Mara and Keiichi. "A godling named after a Valkyrie and locked in a cell with a demon and a human." It pecked at Mara's hand. "Tell me, what did you do to land yourself in such confines?"

"I…" Skuld trailed off before shaking her head with a frown. "Demons. I got locked in here by a bunch of demons. Mara was helping me and got stuck in here as well." The girl sighed, running a hand through raven-black hair. "I just…can you help me escape?" She asked. "I need to get all three of us out of here before those demons return." _And the Daimakaicho. If you guys are alive I don't want to know what that means for the Daimakaicho._

The white crow cocked its head up towards its brethren. The others stared back and the light-shaded bird hopped towards the girl. "These cells weren't designed to be easy to penetrate. The prison is Valkyrie-craft. It was designed to hold magical entities and ensure their imprisonment until it was necessary to move them."

Skuld bit her lip. "It's not magic that I need though." She admitted. "I need tools. Wires, metal rods, things that can produce their own electric current. But I can't get through those bars." The youth pointed towards the cell entrance. "I need…" She hesitated. "I need something small and flexible that can slip in between the metal. Something that's smart enough to recognize the materials I request and strong enough to bring them back to me."

The red crow ruffled its feathers. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you'd just insulted us by comparing us to minor beasts." It cawed angrily. "For one who needs our help, you're certainly making a bad first impression."

Its sibling ran a beak through its feathers. "Ease yourself, Sister. Can you not see the lass is scared? She has gone through a great trial since arriving in this cell. It's written all over her face. Forgive her and let us see if it is possible to aid her."

_Does that mean I still have a chance? _Skuld wondered, dark eyes wide with surprise at the kindness of the crow. "Please?" She asked, voice strained with stress. "I'll take any help you can give right now. We're in rough shape down here."

The white crow moved to peck at Skuld's shoe. "You have given us a list, yes?" It asked. "Then let it be shown what aid the Morrigan can give to their own." The bird took flight and headed towards the bars. It was quickly joined by it's siblings and together flew through the cell gate without err.

A wave of relief flushed through the child, and with a soft sigh the teen sunk to her knees. "There's still a chance." She mumbled. "We might still be able to get out of here."

An inhuman shriek echoed throughout the corridor.

And Skuld felt whatever hope that had started to manifest within the Norn abandon her instantly. _"No."_ She breathed. "Please no. Not now. Not when I don't have any weapons or Mara or anything to protect myself with. The girl recognized that scream. After nearly being killed by it, Skuld knew that scream _very_ well.

The cries of three angry crows arose immediately. One was silenced. Two began to grow louder with the bird's retreating forms. A black blur raced past the cell gate, and before Skuld even recognized it as the black crow a red blur trailed after it. Then came a pair of black jaws, and Skuld screamed at the red crow vanished in a hail of black flesh and red feathers.

Hearing the young Norn's screams, the Daimakaicho then turned its attention to Skuld, and the teen screamed even louder. Red, crusted flesh covered half its face from where the explosion had burned it. Around the injuries pale bone shone through. One of its eyes sat loosely in its exposed eyehole, rolling listlessly and unfocused as it stared through the bars.

That same eye came to focus on Skuld, and as the girl screamed so too did the beast let out a shriek. Its jaws opened wide as it bellowed at the teen, and from its maw Skuld could see the bloodied remains of the red crow. The monster's focus now on her, it forgot its initial prey in favor of the imprisoned godling. A hiss parted its long mouth, lips peeled back in a snarl as the creature stared through the bars at her. Then it did the unthinkable and stepped _through_ the bars and into the cell.

Abruptly Skuld's screams were cut off, replaced instead with a small whimper. The youth scrambled back, colliding with the brick wall at the other end of the cell and pressing herself flat against it. _This can't be happening. This can't be happening. I killed this thing. I know it! How could it have survived?_ Brown eyes darted from one area to the next, searching for something the girl could use to her advantage.

Yet there was nothing. Nothing but two buckets of dirty water, three bowls of sludge, and two unconscious prisoners. Nothing Skuld could use to her advantage.

Before her the beast stalked towards her, poison dripping from its fangs as the monster approached with head bowed. Its tail lashed in the air angrily and a haunting growl parted its throat. …_Found…you…_A voice whispered in her mind, and the creature reared its head back like a snake readying to strike.

Only to release a pained shriek as a dark blur suddenly assaulted the monstrosity's injured eye. The creature shrieked in pain, stumbling to the side towards Mara's and Keiichi's immobile forms. With a gasp Skuld started forwards towards her cell mates, only to come to an immediate halt as the beast caught itself. An angry crow echoed throughout the small prison, and Skuld watched as the black crow dove once more at the Daimakaicho. The monster snarled angrily at the bird, snapping in irritation at the tiny creature with little success. "You'll not have the child, Daimakaicho!" The black crow cawed, clawing at the beast's eyes with small talons. "I'll die before you have her!"

_Fool..._ The voice from before sighed, _I'll devour you once more, Badb Catha._

"Badb Catha?" Skuld whispered, staring at the crow in shock. "But how could…Badb Catha is…"

The Daimakaicho swiped at the black crow with a paws. The attack didn't connect, yet the backlash wind produced enough of an effect to send the bird scattering wildly. A violet eye moved to focus on the youth and a soft hiss emerged from its maw. _…You know…_it spoke with a voice that was not a voice, turning to fully regard the girl.

Skuld shook her head rapidly, swallowing a lump in her throat. "N-no, I don't know." She stuttered, causing the Daimakaicho to bare its teeth at her angrily.

…_ot…real…_It said, the broken eye that dangled within its skull trailing after the black crow listlessly. _We…all…_The voice trailed off, the head lashing out and catching Badb Catha in its jaws. The crow flailed desperately, its voice a broken squawk as it stared at Skuld desperately. Then the beast closed its jaws completely in a loud crunch.

Skuld cringed as she watched the light fade from the crow's eyes. _…watch…_The Daimakaicho breathed, and rather than swallowing the bird whole as Skuld had expected the monster released its catch, letting the new corpse fall from its maw and onto the floor. The Norn bit her lip, hands curling into fists that shook as she stared at the body in a mixture of dread and anger.

A black miasma filled the air above the corpse, and Skuld watched in horror as the body seemed to disintegrate before her very eyes. _Not real…_The voice continued. _Never real._ In a matter of minutes Badb Catha's body was gone, the miasma dispersing into the air around them_. Never enough. Need real._ Skuld brought her attention back to the Daimakaicho, finding it watching her hungrily. _Need substance. Need to _become_ real._

The beast stepped towards her, and suddenly Skuld knew all too well what the monster wanted from her. _"No!"_ The Norn screamed, and as the Daimakaicho grew closer Skuld scooped down and grabbed the closest thing to her. The creature opened its mouth wide in a shriek, and Skuld screamed back, swinging the pail full of water as hard as she could into the Daimakaicho's face.

The blow connected heavily, and Skuld thought she heard something crack as the Daimakaicho's head swung to the left. Its jaw was tilted at an unnatural angle, yet rather than return its attention to the teen it instead found something else to focus on. …_Marller…_It mumbled in her mind…_with Leskin…_The beast turned its large body towards the unconscious demon and human and tilted its head to one side in curiosity. It released a breath that steamed the air and one of its large paws moved towards the duo.

For her part Skuld was paralyzed. _It knows Mara? What's it doing? _Its actions were more curious than hostile, bowing its head and sniffing the two in a manner that reminded Skuld of a dog. Her eyes darted to the bucket of water in her hands and then back to the Daimakaicho. _This isn't going to protect me from that thing's mouth._ She thought apprehensively. _Mara, hurry up and bring Keiichi back. I won't be able to do anything if the Daimakaicho decides to eat you guys!_

The creature paws the demon in curiosity, tail whipping to and fro in agitation. _No spirit…_It muttered, examining the woman with one eye. _Gone? _The paw, near-human in configuration, lifted Mara's body off the ground, cradling the demon in between black and curved talons. _Food._ It stated.

"Leave her alone!" Skuld cried, swinging the bucket of dirtied water with all her might and releasing it at the peak of its arch. The bucket slammed into the creature's head once more, spilling blood and water and towels across thing thing's face. The pail's handle managed to catch on one of the Daimakaicho's horns, and as the creature angrily turned towards Skuld the metal container swung and bounced off the creature's temple.

Its lips peeled back in a snarl, revealing rows upon rows of jagged teeth. _Shit._ Skuld thought, and before the Norn could think of another plan of action the beast lunged at her. The girl felt something collide with her torso, lifting Skuld off her feet and colliding against the back wall. The teen gasped as the wind was knocked out of her, dark eyes bulging in pain as a talon dug painfully into her shoulder. _I forgot the thing has an extra pair of limbs._

_Fool! _The Daimakaicho screamed. _Slow death for you! May your last thoughts become a _Tulpa_, which I may feast on it for eternity! _The creature's grip tightened and a weak cry of pain forced its way from Skuld's throat. From somewhere off to her left the Norn thought she heard a second cry from Mara, yet when the raven-haired youth opened her eyes nothing but the Daimakaicho was in her view.

A cold lump of dread sank into her stomach as the Daimakaicho opened its jaws wide. _This is it, isn't it?_ Skuld thought, sweating. _I'm not going to see Belldandy or Urd again. I'm gonna die here. _The youth squirmed in the creature's grasp, aggravating her shoulder wound and causing the young Norn to gasp. "Somebody help me!" The teen screamed desperately. "Mara! Keiichi! Urd!"

"_Belldandy!"_

Something smashed into the Daimakaicho's body with enough force to knock it to the ground. Its grip was torn from the wall, and as it fell so too did Skuld. The girl screamed in pain as her body collided with the floor, the talon exiting her shoulder and leaving a nasty puncture wound in its place. With a pained gasp the youth curled into a ball, clutching her shoulder as Skuld fought through the pain.

Something touched her uninjured shoulder. Grimly, Skuld opened one dark eye, finding a pale, feminine hand at her side. "M-Mara?" She rasped in disbelief, following the hand up and meeting a pair of blue eyes over red. The Norn's voice caught in her throat. "Im-impossible…" She finally stuttered, and the woman gently rolled the lass onto her back.

"Don't move." Belldandy murmured, before rising to her feet once more and stepping around her sister. "I'll end this now."

Across from her the Daimakaicho pulled itself back up on its feet. Violet eyes fell to Belldandy and narrowed dangerously. _Tulpa!_ It screamed, arching its back like an angry cat.

Belldandy met its gaze unflinchingly, grasping her staff with both hands. "I'll not let you hurt Skuld any longer!" She cried.

And with two roars, the goddess and monster rushed each other.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: By now I'm sure everyone must think I hate Keiichi. Don't worry, he gets his revenge later on. _


	34. Fight For Life

"You're late again Valu."

The young man smiled impishly, scratching thick, curly locks sheepishly. "Sorry about that. With Lady Urd around it's hard to find some privacy to contact you."

The image crossed its arms. "You mean you're too busy trying to flirt with her, is that it?"

The demon dragon flushed. "I don't know what you're talking about." He muttered, averting his gaze from the image.

The individual sighed, running a hand through its hair. "You're and idiot, Valu." It grumbled. "Whatever you're planning with her, you're probably doing it wrong. Go read some of those dime store romance novels the succubi and lust deities are always cooking up on the Assiah. Preferably something that does _not_ mention whips, chains, handcuffs, or rope."

The youth sent the image a crestfallen look. "But...from what I've learned of her, I'd think she'd like that kind of stuff." He said. "All those books you lent me showed them liking it."

There was an audible smack as the image covered its face with a palm. "Not everyone..." It trailed off, shaking its head in disdain. "No, forget it. I didn't contact you to go over love advice with you on the Daimakaicho's daughter." It removed its hand from its head. "I've only got a short amount of time, so I need to make this quick."

"Tell the old man to get the Goetia ready for an assault on the complex. Marller's managing to hold out still, but the last interrogation took a lot out of her. I'm starting to wonder just how much more she can take before something disastrous happens."

Valu's expression grew hard. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that at the current rate we're going at, I can see one of several things happening. Either Marller's gonna die from the abuse we're racking up on her, she's gonna snap and have a repeat of That Time, or the higher ups are gonna give up on her and have one of us off her." The image planted its hands on its hips. "And that mortal's a worry too. Valu, if you guys don't move out soon, he really _is _gonna end up dead. I managed to slip him a potion that would let him adapt, but if his body's already weak, chances are he won't survive the change."

The blonde frowned. "This isn't good." He muttered. "I know Marller and Lady Urd are friends, but I don't know how strong her relationship is to that human boy." The Goetia brought a thumb to his lip, biting it thoughtfully. "What about Urd's sister, Skuld? What's her condition?"

The entity on the other end grumbled something unidentifiable. "Physically she's fine." It finally said. "Mentally..." The entity shook its head. "...Some of the guards I've had patrolling the area say they hear her talking to people, but Marller and the boy aren't the ones who talk back. Usually they say they don't hear anything talk back to her. The more spooked ones claim they here birds talking back or other women speakin' in the God's tongue." The person on the other end hesitated. "...And I think they're right." It mumbled quietly. "The kid...she escaped thanks to Marller. Had the whole group looking for her..." The entity shook its head. "And then the next thing you know, I'm hearing about how Mada and a couple others were found dead in a Valkyrie's armory. Their bodies...they'd been torn to shreds, Valu." The person finished quietly.

"And Marller was...?" The dragon murmured, his brow creased with worry.

"She was bein' interrogated at the time. It wasn't her. It was somethin' else. Somethin' bigger."

Valu sucked in a deep breath, leaning back as he rubbed his chin in thought. "I see." He mumbled. "And you want us to move in before whatever is in there comes after you or the prisoners."

The blue-eyed youth gained no reply from his companion, something he'd half-expected. The man spat out a curse. "And here I've been showing the Bright Lady how to extend her consciousness to those she's connected to." Valu clenched his fists. "I hope she hasn't seen anything you haven't. It might cost us the mission if she has. The last thing we need is the Daimakaicho's panicked daughter storming the place half-mad with magic ablaze. We need to be careful in how we act from here on out."

"Whatever you decide to do Valu, do it soon." The stranger said. "I don't know how much time we've got left, and those deaths have got the rest of Vikoka's crew riled up and spooked. This shit ain't gonna' be an easy extraction."

The lad nodded. "I'll let the others know. Tell Marller to get ready. We're probably going to need a distraction if we want to get in without too much trouble."

The figure nodded and Valu moved forward, blowing the flames the silhouette had manifested in out and vanquishing it from existence. The small fire out, Valu sighed, rubbing his neck in agitation. "_Kusshanti_, why is it that things are never simple when you're involved?" He asked aloud, the question directed towards no one in the immediate area.

A pair of unfamiliar steps approached the dragon youth from behind. _Urd. _ Valu thought; the Bright Lady's steps were the only ones he was unfamiliar with still.

"Who's _Kusshanti_?" The woman asked, and Valu turned to look up at her.

The bronze woman's aura was blinding it was so bright, seeming to engulf the demon in a brilliant halo. The lad swallowed. _So much power. _Nidhogg, what he would give to-

Abruptly the Goetia cut the thought off with an easy smile. "You don't know?"

The ex-goddess frowned, crossing her arms uncomfortably and shaking her head. "I haven't spoken this language in ages, Valu. I'm...a little rusty on some words."

Valu's smile turned sly. "In that case, you'll need to find out from someone else." He teased. "And just to make it a challenge, I'm telling the others not to say a word to you."

The Bright Lady narrowed her eyes in irritation yet the woman didn't call him out. Instead she persisted. "Was _Kusshanti _the person you were talking too?"

Had Valu still been fused to his dragons, his tail would have stood on end in alarm at the revelation. He looked at the tall woman with wide blue eyes. "What did you hear?" He demanded, all signs of play lost from his disposition. What in the heavens were the others doing? They _knew_ he was making The Call. Why hadn't they kept her busy long enough for him to finish and pack up? "Urd, I'm dead serious. The person I was speaking to was one of our DEMINT guys. You don't even have the clearances to know he exists, let alone hear what he has to say."

Urd blinked in surprise, bringing her hands up in defense. "Wow, wow, easy there lizard-breath. I didn't hear or see anything. Whoever you were talking with was far enough away I couldn't make out any words, okay? So calm down." The silver-haired woman scowled. "But DEMINT? Demon Intelligence? Isn't that one of Niflheim's spy branches?" Urd pulled her lips back in a snarl. "Does that mean that whats-his-face is in that damned fort? With my sister?" With a frighting speed Urd snatched Valu by the collar of his shirt, dragging the lad to his feet. "The why the hell isn't he helping her!? Why isn't this guy pulling some James Bond shit and getting Skuld and the others out of that hellhole?"

_And to think, just for a moment I__ forgot why we have 'need to know' as a qualification for any classified information._ Valu thought warily. "Bright Lady, I don't know what this 'James Bond' is or much of anything else for that matter, but I can tell you this. That demon was strictly an information relay. He's not SES or anything else. Strictly a gatherer of information." He sent her a stern look. "Information you aren't entitled to hear until I speak with Sir Furcas, alright?"

Urd held him still, refusing to look away. "You're going to need to give me a better answer than that Valu." She said threateningly, and Valu could feel where her magic was starting to rise up and nip him like a pair of dragons all her own.

_Definitely the Daimakaicho's daughter, but still no Daimakaicho __in the long run. She need to work on her intimidation factor. _ He thought aimlessly. The lad reached out and wrapped his hand around Urd's wrist. "Urd, I want you to listen very carefully." He said slowly. He could feel his heart slamming into his ribcage. "I understand you're worried about your sister. I'm worried about my own kin too, and I'd _love_ to tell you what's going on." The lad swallowed nervously. "But I can't do that until you _let me go_. The sooner I speak with the others the faster you can learn about your sister."

Urd observed Valu for a long time in silence, making no movement towards releasing the man. Violet eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and Valu felt his heart quicken just a little bit more. _She has the Daimakaicho's eyes. _He thought, feeling his breath increase. _Burning, raging eyes. So heated they look as cold as ice. _Those same eyes closed at that moment, and Valu felt the grip on his shirt ease as Urd let him go. The demon took a deep breath and released it through clenched teeth. Wordlessly she turned away, a vicious snarl on her face as the dark woman abruptly moved the opposite direction the other Goetia had gathered. The dragon watched her go wistfully. _I want her. _He thought. _Nidhogg below and Yggdrasil above,__ I want her._

With a sigh the dragon Goetia turned away, making his way back to his comrades. A frown turned his expression hard, and Valu set his sights on Amy. The man was speaking with Glasya, his back turned towards Valu. A sliver of anger raced down the dragon's spine. _Has he really grown so placid around Urd? _He thought heatedly, lips pulling back in a snarl. _She may be a demon now, but that doesn't mean we can just drop our guard so easily! There are still rules that need to be followed!_ The man swallowed his growing rage, approaching the Burning Man and tapping him lightly on the shoulder.

"Amy, I need to speak with you." The man looked over his shoulder with in curiosity. Upon seeing Valu's expression, the fiery-haired demon frowned. "It's about Urd." The dragon continued, and the frown deepened.

In front of Amy, Glasya quietly dismissed himself. "Amy, we'll talk more later. I'm going to go check on Amon." The wolf had already retreated with Valu's approach, sensing much like Glasya a fight about to brew. The both of them being of packs with their own hierarchic structure, the canine and lupine Goetia recognized when to make scarce of themselves. And while experience had shown him that neither of the two of them would turn down watching a good fight, centuries as dedicated Goetia had installed in them a sense of when to vanish with a fight between Goetia of a different rank brewing.

"What about her?" Amy asked, his expression impassive and cool. "Valu, we've other things of more importance to worry about rather than our little hitchhiker right now. Have you received word from your source within the fort? Our surveillance was disappointingly lacking."

Valu bristled. "It's exactly because of her and that contact that I'm talking to you now!" He snapped. "What happened to my dragon? Why weren't there a pair of eyes on her when I was making that call?" The younger man demanded hotly. "We could have had a serious incident going for ourselves is Urd had heard anything!"

Amy scowled. "She sent the dragon to try and keep Amon cool. Her reasoning's were something along the lines of wanting to avoid a certain Goetia who couldn't seem to keep his eyes off her." The man sent a pointed look to Valu, who bared his teeth in a snarl. "We only just returned from our reconnaissance a little while ago. No one had informed any of us what you were doing, otherwise preventative measures would have been made to keep Urd busy for a while." He looked down at Valu, eyes narrowing slightly. "Now are you going to act like a calm and rational adult and tell me what happen? Or am I going to have to treat you like a child and send you away to sit in a corner?"

The younger man growled in warning towards his taller companion, yet Amy seemed unfazed by the display. Instead the demon calmly stared at the humanoid dragon, patiently waiting for Valu's decision. The Goetia grit his teeth in anger at his older comrade's expression, hands clenching into fists that lay tense and stiff at his sides. "There are times..." The lad seethed. "…I really hate that damned patience of yours." The lad finally hissed, taking several deep breaths in an effort to sooth his temper.

The dragon began to pace restlessly. "I managed to get in contact with our source, yeah, but Urd almost walked in on half our conversation." Valu ran a hand through his hair. "Had she come up behind me a minute sooner, the Bright Lady would have been off to the fort before any of us could think to stop her." The man sighed heavily. "Marller and the human are in pretty rough shape, from what I've been told. On top of that, it seems some of the denizens of Purgatory have made that fort their home. Many of Vikoka's demons are getting spooked and there's been evidence within the fortress showing their existence. Our guy wants us to strike ASAP while the Chakra's are distracted and before those denizens gain a more permanent, dangerous form."

Amy pursed his lips, rubbing chin in thought. The man cursed quietly. "Did he say if Marller was unable to preform her duties?"

Valu shook his head in frustration. "No. It's hard to say. But the implications weren't promising. With the way he spoke, Marller would have an easier time going berserk again than she would holding it together long enough to spy, sabotage, and escape with the others."

The red-head scowled, tapping his feet on the ground. "At this rate, we may just need her to go berserk in order to get in." He said, ignoring the alarmed look Valu sent him. "We'll have to hope your inside source was smart enough to gather as much intel on the gang as possible. If nothing else, Marller going berserk would aid in not only providing a distraction, but creating enough destruction that we can hopefully get in there ourselves and sabotage whatever she couldn't. If we can keep out of her way if that should happen, we can gather the others and escape."

"And my cousin?"

Amy hesitated. "...We'll take the necessary measures to bring her back with us." He said.

"I'm not abandoning her, Amy."

"I know." Came Amy's soft reply. "But that doesn't change the fact that we must ensure the mission's success before all else. As Goetia, we all know and accept this, regardless of the sacrifices demanded of us. You know this, Valu. So does Marller."

"Marller isn't Goetia."

"No. She's SES. Which means she understands the need of this mission's success better than any of us. Don't underestimate her, Valu. That woman may have been imprisoned for five hundred years, but she's got the raw instincts of a rabid coyote when it comes to SES." He smiled. "If there's anything I know Marller can do, it's survive."

* * *

Belldandy was a very confused goddess.

Before her, the Daimakaicho's beast brought a taloned paw down upon her head. Quickly the goddess blocked it with her staff, angling it to allow the black claw to slide off in an effort to redirect the creature's energy. The tactic worked, and where once came a blow that would have knocked the brunette to the ground instead came a glancing blow.

The woman's last conscious thoughts had been of Hild and Gamori, listening to their words of _tulpas_ and Urd and recovery before the Daimakaicho had struck her down. Then she'd found herself in Skuld's cell, forced once more to become a silent observer to the nightmarish reality of Keiichi and Skuld's imprisonment. _You're lucky you represent the present Bell, nothing bad ever happens to you._ Urd's words from the distant past had haunted her endlessly as the goddess was forced to watch Keiichi's life slip away before her very eyes and Mara's desperate attempts at reviving him. Of Skuld's pleas for help and the teens frantic efforts to protect herself from the _tulpa's_ approach.

Free from one paw, the Norn countered with a burst of magic at the _tulp__a_, mindful of those around her. The attack was small and concentrated, piercing the Daimakaicho's hide as surely as a bullet. No seals were activated, no countermagic brought forth, and with a shriek the wind bullets tore through the creature's right shoulder. Black blood gushed heavily from the new wound, dripping to the ground and hissing where the liquid connected with the cement.

Yet there was only so much a goddess could stand being locked away on the side lines. The _tulpa _had injured Skuld. The monster had made her sister bleed, and the younger Norn had called for her. Something within Belldandy had snapped at that exact moment, and before she knew it the goddess had attacked the beast. It was a futile attack. She'd known from the moment the wind spell had been released that it would do nothing to the _tulpa, _leaving Belldandy in confusion when the attack manifested against the Daimakaicho's form.

However there had been little time for thought with the initial attack, as now the monster's attention was devoted entirely towards the goddess. _You dare?_ The creature snarled within her mind, its voice a roar that barely resembled the Hild Belldandy knew. Its tail slashed through the air violently, and Belldandy had to stop herself from rushing the _tulpa_ as the thick limb swept over Keiichi's silent form. A little lower and the entity could have...

_I need to be careful here. _Belldandy thought warily, keeping her gaze centered on the _tulpa_. _Everyone in this cell is injured. If I'm to fight this creature, I need to either be watchful of our attacks or entice the beast away from this cell._ Blue eyes glanced to the cell bars and back. _But can I do that with this creat__ure? I was able to touch Skuld, if only for a moment. Would that mean those bars are solid as well?_

The Daimakaicho lunged at Belldandy with a hiss, and it was through sheer reflex that Belldandy avoided the attack._ I __suppose I'll find out regardless._ The goddess could feel the passing wind of the beast against her skin, almost as if the brunette was actually present in the cell. It made the Norn nervous; if she was no longer within her physical body yet could feel the physical effects of those around her, the ramifications of her being injured could be disastrous.

Cerulean eyes swept across Skuld's terrified form and hardened with determination. There were people in this cell who needed her help and Belldandy had never been one to stand and do nothing. The chimes on her staff hissed and sang as the Norn turned towards the _tulpa_ once more, and a great burst of air erupted from it. Her hands acting as a catalyst, the goddess maneuvered the wind around the beast, encircling it in a miniature tornado of air.

The monster shrieked and snapped at the air, only to be buffeted back by the force of the magic, leaving the beast screaming at Belldandy in rage. The Daimakaicho's beast opened its mouth wide, and from its maw a great plume of fire emerged. Immediately it was swept into the twisting air, growing larger and creating a serpentine inferno. The creature disappeared within its own flame, and with a grimace Belldandy backed away, raising her hands to shield herself from the raging fire. The flames were as magical as the air it fed on, and rather than simply dying as it should have, the hellfire grew, devouring the air and starting to slowly circle outside Belldandy's controlled cyclone.

Branches of the flame lashed out from the entrapped air like snakes, and grimly Belldandy began to pressurize the air, desperate to put the sudden inferno out before it managed to grow out of control. The lashing flames grew more controlled as the pressure increased, slowly dieing into a cyclone once more. The air began to clear, leaving Belldandy once more to stare into the eyes of the _tulpa. _ The beast shrieked in rage and pain, and the Norn watched startled as the flesh of its injured shoulder tore further, the wound antagonized by the pressure the brunette was exerting. Fresh blood burst from the injury and stunned, Belldandy momentarily lost her concentration on her magic.

It was only a couple of seconds, yet for the monstrosity it was enough. A taloned paw launched through the weakened spell, colliding with Belldandy and throwing her to the floor. The wind vanished and the _tulpa _drew closer, narrowing eyes that glowed red in the darkness of the cell. It dragged itself through the vortex, and as Belldandy fought to stand once more it pinned her to the ground.

Somewhere on the other side of the cell, Belldandy could hear Skuld scream. _Has it hurt her again? _Belldandy worried, picking her head up to look over the creature's paw. _Is Skuld okay? _

Blue eyes widened in horror, and a small whimper escaped the goddess's throat. A talon. The Daimakaicho's talon. It was..._why don't I feel anything? _Her mind screamed. _I've been...the _tulpa_, it-_

One of the Daimakaicho's claws was embedded in her stomach.

The puncture did not bleed. It did not hurt or burn, nor could Belldandy even feel the claw which pierced her skin. Yet there it was, its sister talons hugging either side of the Norn's body while the middle made a nest for itself in the woman's abdomen like some grisly parasite. Shock settled into her mind like a warm blanket, and dazed the goddess reached a hand out to touch the invasive presence. The talon was cool and smooth; the flesh around it scaled, like a snake. _Why doesn't it hurt?_ Dimly, she heard the Daimakaicho's beast growl, and then she _did_ feel it: a pulling sensation from within her gut, her body suddenly sliding across the floor as the monster dragged her closer.

"Leave Belldandy alone!" Skuld's voice was a howl of desperation, and suddenly a cascade of water crashed down upon the Daimakaicho's body. Electricity followed it, and a choir of shrieks erupted from both victim and caster of the spell.

"Skuld!" Belldandy cried, watching as a shadowy form collapsed behind the _tulpa_'s electrocuted body. Grabbing the talon with all her might and fueled by adrenaline, the older Norn thrust the claw out of her torso, ignoring the sparks and bolts of lightning that had traveled from the beast and to the goddess.

And Belldandy felt none of it. The brunette's flesh did not burn nor did her body bleed. She felt not the electricity or the pain of the talon.

In its place came cold, black rage.

The beast ignored her, looking over its shoulder at the unconscious form of Skuld, lips pulled back in a snarl. Belldandy pursed her lips. "Leave her alone." She said quietly, shifting her grip on her staff. "Your battle is with me, not a child." The goddess caught the creature pause in its movements, almost as though considering the Norn's words, before it more readily focused its attention on Skuld.

Eyes as hard as sapphires narrowed dangerously. Now the beast was being _rude. _The woman grit her teeth, twirling the staff upside down. "Don't turn your back to me, Daimakaicho. I'm your enemy. Not the girl. Not my sister." Her voice was cold and warning, yet the monstrosity paid her no mind, jaws opening as it lowered its head down towards Skuld. The goddess's gaze focused on the creature. _Aim for anything where the flesh is weak and the nerves are close to the surface. _Urd's voice echoed in her mind, young and eager. _The point isn't so much damage as it is pain. More mental than phys__ical. If you want someone or something to back off without crippling or killing it, you need to aim for where the skin is soft. _And bellies, as Belldandy knew, were very soft and weak.

Readjusting her grip, the brunette took aim and hurled her weapon, watching coolly as the sharp, butt end of her staff struck the beast's lower side. The steel ornament penetrated right where fur and flesh merged into the soft scales of a snake's underbelly. "Learn some manners, Demon." Belldandy snapped, ignoring the screech of pain that erupted from the creature. "I was speaking to you. Don't you _dare_ turn your back to me."

A black blur raced towards her, and nimbly Belldandy avoided it, leaping over the beast's tail before it had a chance to slam into her. The Daimakaicho hissed in anger, the hair along the nape of its neck bristling into angry spines. Yet the goddess paid it no mind, releasing another spell with a shout of power. A blast of condensed air collided with the creature's side, digging the staff further into the monstrosity's body.

Immediately the Daimakaicho wheeled to face her, jaws large enough to snap her in half bellowing with rage. The fair goddess held her ground; however, returning the challenge with a gaze of steel. "You will leave them alone." The Norn ordered instead. "All of them. You will face me. As Goddess First-Class, Second-category Verthandi, Norn of the Present and daughter of Daitenkaicho Tyr, you will do as I say!" A hand whipped out, and with it the staff flew from the creature's body, vaulting back into the Norn's hand as though summoned by pure will alone.

The Daimakaicho's beast, the _tulpa, _had done the impossible.

The monster had royally pissed Belldandy off.

A sphere of magic formed in her free hand, amplified by the power of her staff. With a shout the Norn launched the ball at the creature, where it collided with the Daimakaicho's neck. The power was strong enough to cause the beast to stagger, and without pause Belldandy moved in on it, needles of magic appearing in between the digits of a closed fist. Without a word she hurled them at the beast, where several embedded themselves within the creature's thick hide before exploding. The monster screamed, fresh blood flying from the new wounds, yet Belldandy was too focused on her opponent to seemingly notice the damage she'd done; the blood she'd spilled. The nausea she should have felt was instead replaced with a clear, cold focus. And that was to get the demonic monstrosity before her away from Skuld and Keiichi as quickly as possible.

Yet the _tulpa_ was nothing if not a hardy creature. Even with the damage Belldandy managed to inflict on its body, it pressed on. Faster than a striking snake, it charged the brunette, jaw parting and fire dancing in its maw as it centered its burning gaze on her. Searing heat burst from the creature's maw, bathing the Norn in a wall of flames. The woman covered her face with a grimace, blinded by the wall of red, only for the beast to erupt through the curtain of flames and collide into her. Its jaws were wide and gaping, forcing Belldandy to dodge to the left, only to collide with the creature's oncoming tail. It threw the woman against the wall, head hitting the bricks with an audible _crack _before Belldandy fell to the ground.

Though she wasn't in any pain, the blow still managed to stun her, Belldandy's senses reeling as they sought to distinguish what the goddess had just gone through; the woman's mind was telling her she should be injured, should be in pain and unable to move, yet the brunette's body told her otherwise. Her senses at war with each other, the Daimakaicho snatched Belldandy by the arm, lifting her off the ground and dangling in the air as though the Norn was as light as a feather. _You are a fool__ to challenge one such as I, _ red glared into cold blue. _And I'll make certain to destroy you piece by piece for the foolhardy act._

Tulpa? Belldandy wondered before narrowing her eyes. "I'm no _tulpa_, Daimakaicho." She said quietly. "I am a goddess first-class and the people you seem so dead-set on devouring are my family. So long as I stand, you'll not touch any of them."

The creature narrowed its eyes with a hiss. _Challenge accepted_. It pulled back its lips in a horrid mockery of a smile before smashing the woman's body against the wall. The Norn released a cry that went ignored by the monster, and before she could think to act the beast was hoisting her back and repeating the action.

The goddess flew like a ragdoll, incapable of countering with a spell. _I need to escape it._ Belldandy thought, feeling a wave of desperation rise in her chest as the world spun nauseatingly around her. _I need to get this _tulpa_ to release me somehow! _But how? Her body was not equipped to battle such a colossal beast. She had no fangs, no claws, no talons of her own that would make the Daimakaicho's beast release her. The Norn had only her staff, useless in her current predicament.

The Norn grit her teeth, hearing, feeling something tear. _If __this keeps up, my arm will be torn from my body. _With a final slam Belldandy collided into the wall. Something cracked behind her, and the brunette could feel shards and chips of brick digging into her body. From high above her head the Norn could see the Daimakaicho's beast leer down at her. Its red gaze narrowed to slits, and Belldandy felt her heart ram frantically in her ribcage. _I need to get free. Now! _

The goddess squirmed, fighting for freedom as the creature's long serpentine head dove towards her. Its jaw opened wide, fangs as large as her forearm growing closer as the woman sought her escape. "No!" Belldandy screamed, bringing her free arm up to shield her and looking away, unwilling to see just what would become of her. Her free arm itched, and the Norn heard a series of rips and tears, followed by the eerie sensation of the goddess's arm cleaving through flesh.

There was a shriek, followed by the feeling of moisture dripping down the Norn's arm. Startled, Belldandy opened her eye and looked to the beast. Blue eyes widened, and somewhere Belldandy was aware of a second scream joining the _tulpa's_ shriek. _My arm…my arm!_

The Daimakaicho reigned its head back with a roar. There came a tug from both her arms before the _tulpa_ released her. Dimly recognizing the scream as her own, the brunette latched hold of her other arm, feeling hard bone where flesh and muscle should have been. The limb had mutated; into what Belldandy was uncertain. The arm had doubled in length, muscle mass wasting away into a pale, boney, almost chitinous limb. The hand had lengthened, the digits fusing together and straightening into a large, blade-like structure. The very tips of the digits were still visible; five little pointed nubs that ran along the length of the blade, reminiscent of a mantis claw.

The bladed appendage had sliced through the creature's lower jaw as though it was paper, lodging itself instead in the roof of the beast's mouth from the force of Belldandy's swing. Apparently, with the way the monster was _still _tossing Belldandy around like a ragdoll, she'd lodged it in there pretty good.

_What is this? What's going on? What happened to my ARM?_ Belldandy's thoughts were frantic and chaotic. This wasn't supposed to happen. _This is __a nightmare! _

A nightmare.

Realization hit Belldandy like a ton of bricks. Or maybe it was her body colliding with a ton of bricks that brought the thought into her mind. Regardless, something suddenly clicked in the Norn's mind, and the goddess momentarily forgot her horror. _A nightmare. I'm dreaming still. None of this is actually happening to me._

Keiichi's fallen form flew across her gaze as the Daimakaicho jerked its head back. _But then, why am I able to effect the surrounding environment?__ Why does everything seem so real? In all the other dreams I could do nothing but watch!_ The beast reared up onto its hind legs, smashing its head on the ceiling. The force was enough to knock Belldandy's hand loose, and the goddess fell to the floor with a wail. The goddess hit the ground with a grunt, near-skewering herself in the process.

With her, so too did the monstrosity move to fall to its six legs once more. Somewhere in the hysterics; however, the creature had moved to tower over Skuld, and in a sudden panic Belldandy was up and off towards her younger sister. The brunette managed grab the unconscious girl just before the beast came down on top the teen, and with one armed wrapped tightly around the injured Norn's body, Belldandy made a decision.

It didn't matter if it was a dream or not.

It didn't matter if she could actually effect the environment around her or not, nor did it matter if the girl in her arms was actually her younger sister or just the makeshifts of her subconscious.

They _felt_ real enough to her, and heavens curse it, if it was _her _dream, she was going to make it a _good _dream.

Using her mutated arm for support, Belldandy rose to her feet. The goddess observed the new limb from the corner of one bright blue eye, seeing the arm in a different light suddenly. The Norn turned her attention back to the Daimakaicho , who now kept itself out of the new reach the goddess had obtained. A corner of her lips twitched upwards in what might have been a smile. _So my dreams are p__roviding me with my thoughts demands? _Belldandy stepped in front of Skuld, placing herself in a guard position before the youth. The itch returned on her unaffected arm, a glance showing where the flesh had become thick and broad and hard. It resembled a small, natural, segmented shield, allowing the limb to move and flex without hassle. She shook it, watching as the armor-like segments shifted with ease before returning her gaze to the beast. "I told you to leave my family alone, Daimakaicho."

Blood dripped from the creature's maw, hissing and bubbling as it struck the stone floor. I_t seems I've underestimated you, _ drew back its lips in a snarl. _I'll ensure it doesn't happen again. _The beast drew its head back, readying to strike and likewise Belldandy dropped into a guard position, bladed are stretched out in front of her protectively. A new spell on her lips and weapons held ready before her, it was through an unheard command that Belldandy and the Daimakaicho's beast assaulted each other.

The bladed arm, while unwieldy, proved adequate as it sliced through the large _tulpa's _thick hide. A wind spell acted as both shield and buffer against the creature's claws, yet the Norn's magic alone was not sufficient at protecting her from the Daimakaicho's fire. The heat was an uncomfortable presence that ate away at her body, and had Belldandy been awake, there was no doubt in her mind the flames would have been lethal.

Yet this was her dream, and so instead the goddess merely willed those pieces of herself once consumed by flame whole again. The woman's body itched in various areas before fading, and Belldandy didn't need to look to see the areas made inviolate once more.

_Stop. You need to stop._

The woman didn't recognize the thought as her own or the Daimakaicho's or anyone else who could have transmitted their thoughts to her. As it was, the goddess was heavily focused on the battle before her, and so the Norn gave the alien thought little attention. Especially when the beast's tail impaled her from behind.

The creature's jagged tail emerged from Belldandy's chest, and the brunette stared at it in bewilderment before the Daimakaicho threw the Norn against the bars of the cell. The woman impacted the steel with a grunt before falling to the ground.

_Please stop...can't you see what you're doing?_

The itch in her torso was already gone by the time Belldandy picked herself up off the ground. She launched herself at the Daimakaicho with a shout. The beast swiped a taloned paw at her, and the woman sliced into it with her bladed arm. The sword-like prosthetic tore through the flesh like paper, and the beast shrieked in pain. Momentum carried the goddess forward, and before the Norn even had time to think of her actions the weapon was biting into the creature's underside.

There was a roar as Belldandy's world suddenly went black. Now under the creature, the Daimakaicho's beast curled around her, blocking out all sources of light. Something pressed down hard against her head and shoulders, forcing Belldandy to her knees as two pairs of glowing red pits opened in the surrounding darkness. The goddess fought against the beast's weight to no avail, the creature using its larger size to pin the Norn and prevent the brunette from using her weapons to her advantage.

_You need to stop..._The voice continued.

_It's going to crush me._ The woman thought in a panic, only for a new source of light to reveal itself. The air around her grew hot, and suddenly a great burst of flame erupted. The goddess protected her body as best she could with her shield arm, yet still she could feel where the flames began to devour her body. _Wrong._ She thought, sweating. _It's going to burn me alive. _Grimacing, the goddess closed her eyes, the words for a new spell appearing within her mind.

A ball of air grew around her body, engulfing the woman and pressing outwards as it began to expand. The flames were pushed back towards the beast's muzzle, yet unfortunately the Daimakaicho seemed to be immune to fire, and so the heat did little to no damage to the creature. With a shout the spell exploded outwards, the weight bearing down on Belldandy's body alleviating _tulpa_ was sent sailing backwards, leaving Belldandy gasping as she stared at the ground. That last spell had taken more out of her than she'd thought. _I'm asleep and I can't feel pain, yet using my magic still exhausts me? _She thought, puzzled. _What is _really_ going on here?_

_Stop..._The voice called out once more, and as Belldandy tried to catch her breath the woman looked around, desperate to find the source of the voice. Off to the side of the room, the _tulpa_ was once more rolling to its feet, its endurance seemingly infinite. Further off lay Skuld's unconscious form, her chest rising and falling with an irregular breath. Mara's expression was pulled back in a strained grimace of pain, though it seemed the woman was as far gone as Skuld in regards to her surroundings. And Keiichi...

A pair of terrified brown eyes met shocked blue. "St...p.." She couldn't hear him exactly, yet she could read the man's lips well enough. "Pl...se..." _Stop. _The man was laid out on his stomach, an arm reaching for the Norn regardless of his state of being. _I'm begging you, p__lease stop this!_

_Now _the voice was familiar, and Belldandy stared paralyzed at the injured figure that reached so desperately for her. Keiichi. It had been Keiichi's voice she was hearing, his soul giving rise to what his voice could not utter. "Keiichi, don't move!" Belldandy cried, all thoughts of the Daimakaicho gone in favor of the man before her. "You'll only worsen your injuries." The woman rushed to the mortal's side, momentarily forgetting her own state of being as Keiichi groaned and panted and tried to rise. Kneeling, the woman brought a hand to one of the man's shoulder's, only to find the beastly limb that had replaced it reaching out to touch him.

Belldandy froze.

"Stop..." The man's voice was harsh, head bowed as he struggled against a weak body. Resting his weight on his forearms, the man looked up once again, and in that moment Belldandy came to another grim truth.

Keiichi was looking _through _her.

There was no recognition in his brown eyes, nothing to show the man's gaze was centered on her. The Norn turned to follow his gaze and felt her breath catch in her throat. The _tulpa_. His attention was centered on the _tulpa._

With a roar the man was on his feet once more, staggering into a falling run towards a beast that bore its teeth angrily at him. He raced _through_ Belldandy, and the goddess felt his passing as though he were a ghost; little more than a chill that ran down her spine.

"Hild, stop!" He screamed. "I can give you what you want!"

And Belldandy could only watch in a mixture of shock, horror, and awe as the man opened his arms to the _tulpa's_ nearing maw.

* * *

_In one world, a goddess and a _tulpa_ began a battle for the lives of three prisoners._

_In another, a demon and a demi-god began their fight for a lon__e mortal's soul._

_The two circled each other slowly. The lynx-demon bared __her__ teeth and hissed. The Shikome bared __her__ teeth and shrieked. Keiichi watched it all from the sidelines of his mind, eyes drifting from one to another warily as around him a dea__d army surrounded him. _

_The man swallowed. From a distance, at least the Shikome had resembled a human. Yet as demon and demi-goddess began their __dual__, Keiichi found the Shikome __growing__ less human and more like the ghoul she truly was. In comparison__, Mara looked almost inviting in her current state. At least the demon wasn't composed of rotting gray flesh. _

_Mara attacked first, charging the Shikome with a snarl. Belly grazing the ground, the demon released a torrent of fire, so large and so thick it engulfed the dead woman entirely. Yet Keiichi heard no screams, only a shout, and suddenly a line of icy stalagmites came rushing at the beast. Immediately the large lynx redirected her flames, effectively ending the spell before it had a chance to reach her. _

_Racing around the remaining stalagmites the demon snapped at the Shikome, __whose__ arm was alight and who retaliated with claws that had grown longer than her forearm. The beast dodged the attack, racing around the demi-goddess in an effort to at__tack the woman's backside. Forcing the Shikome to turn with unwieldy weapons, the woman spat a sickly green substance towards the cat, causing Mara to dodge instead of attack. The substance hissed and bubbled like acid where it hit the ground._

_Keiichi e__yed the deadly dance nervously, watching warily as Mara darted in and out of the Shikome's defense, forcing the woman to __re__act yet doing no true damage of her own. It put the man on edge, confusing the mortal and grating on his already torn nerves at the sa__me time. Something didn't add up. Why was Mara, a first-class demon, not attacking a demi-goddess like the Shikome? Surely, even in her current form Mara was a match for the woman, and yet the feline had yet to actually wound the woman. _It's like she's playing with her._ Keiichi thought. _Like a cat playing with a mouse. _Keiichi grimaced. "Mara, stop fooling around and take this seriously!" He shouted. "My life is on the line here!"_

_Something cold pressed down on his shoulder and with a start Keiich__i looked towards it. A hand belonging to one of the Ikusa rested against his shirt, and as he followed it the mortal recognized the Japanese Army uniform as his grandfather's. The Ikusa's outfit was a wreck. The metals that once displayed his rank were __melted into unrecognizable scrap. The buttons were gone, and had it not been for the certain areas of the cloth fuzing together in the heat, the Ikusa's top would have hung open on its own accord. There w__ere several areas where fire ha__d eaten through to__ the flesh underneath, and even more areas where the uniform looked to have been torn by claws or fangs. Dimly, a piece of Keiichi wondered how much of himself was responsible for his grandfather's new state and how__ much blame he could shove off __o__n__ Mara._

Why do you believe the demon isn't taking the fight seriously?_ Hotaru's voice rang in his mind, startling the mortal. _From where I stand, it seems the Lady Shikome may be in over her head.

_Keiichi stared up at the taller entity in surprise. "How can yo__u tell?"_

_The creature nodded towards the combating duo. _Your demon is testing the waters. _He revealed. _She is searching for openings, examining the Lady Shikome for any obvious signs of weakness. It's not as simple a game of cat and mouse as you would first believe.

_Frowning, Keiichi redirected his gaze towards the two combatants, watching as the demon in question instigated an attack from the half-dead woman. The lynx dodged the attack with ease, racing to the side of the woman and feinting a leap. __The Shikome twisted her body to face the false attack, near tripping over her own feet in her rush to counter the beast's attack. The demi-goddess stumbled, and as she did Mara raced to her backside, jumping upon the woman's back and causing the Shikome t__o shriek as the beast bit down on her neck. _

_A sickly, green gas seemed to appear around the woman's head, and immediately Mara ceased her attack, releasing her grip and bounding away from the Shikome. "What was that?" Keiichi asked aloud, following __the demon's trail and watching as the lynx came to a halt further off. Whatever it was couldn't have been good, not with the way Mara was pawing at her muzzle and sneezing._

Poison, most likely. Hotaru said. The Shikome does not bleed for she has no blood. Instead she is filled with rot and all the gases and toxins that are produced from that rot. It makes her dangerous to approach physically, for to ingest those gases could prove fatal._ The Ikusa drummed his fingers on his naginata. _Yet the demon is of the fire itself, which burns away all disease. It is unknown to what extent such gases could truly affect her.

_The lynx stumbled back and forth like an unsteady drunk, shaking her head as she fought to clear herself of the gasses. The Shikome used __it to her advantage, slashing at the beast with her claw-like nails and succeeding as the demi-goddess raked her hand across Mara's muzzle. __The beast released an enraged,__ pained shriek, retreating from the undead woman and spitting another bought of fi__re in defense. The Shikome retreated and with it, Mara shook herself,__ trying to__ rid herself of __whatever remain__ed__ of the poison __and sending droplets of blood flying._

_The cat licked her maw, cleaning some of the __closer wounds as she glared at the Shikome. Fur bristling in rage, the lynx charged towards the Shikome with a vicious snarl. Immediately the Shikome moved to attack once more, only for Mara to nimbly avoid it with a quick shift in direction. Diverting __to another angle brought the lynx into the Shikome's guard, and without pause the beast released another bought of flames upon the demi-goddess._

_The flames were different from before. Different from any fire Keiichi had ever seen; an eerie shade of white-violet, they consumed the Shikome entirely. Not even a silhouette of the woman remained to be seen, yet her shrieks were more than enough to reveal that she still breathed. When the fire finally stopped, the screams did not, and from the white-hot flames emerged a burning wraith. The Shikome's eyes glowed like red coals in the bright flames, black smoke rising from her mouth. The demi-goddess's flesh bubbled and blistered, the large burns wracking her body releasing a thick, white smoke that clogged the air. The air hissed around the dead woman and Mara quickly retreated from the burning entity, ears folded against her head._

_The Shikome came after the beast at a stumble, groping for the beast with black, roasted hands. The screams fell into raspy wails until the flames consumed even that, and then the Shikome collapsed into a smoldering heap of decay._Did she win?_ Keiichi tensed, watching as the flames faded and Mara wearily approached the burnt corpse. _Is it over?_The Shikome didn't move._

_About ten feet away from the Shikome's body, Mara froze. The demon's ears perked up as though listening to something as her fur began to bristle in a manner dissimilar from beforehand. The fur rose in spiky clumps against her body, and when Keiichi squinted he caught small sparks of light dancing around the fiery cat's body. "What's going on?" He asked aloud. "Mara, don't tell me your going to attack the Shikome again; she's already beaten!" He muttered under his breath, restlessly shifting his weight from foot to foot anxiously. Beside him, Hotaru remained silent._

_Electricity suddenly erupted around the metal piece within Mara's back. Like a lightning rod, the metal drew the electricity to the demon, and Mara shrieked in agony as the bolts danced over her body. "Mara!" Keiichi cried, taking a step towards her only for Hotaru to stop him. _

_The Ikusa placed his blade down at Keiichi's feet, his grip on the man's shoulder tightening in warning. _Don't do it, Keiichi._ The spirit warned. _This is not your battle. For better or worse, no one interferes.

_Keiichi stared back at his ancestor in disbelief. "__But…that wasn't one of the Shikome's attacks, right? It _couldn't_ have been one of her attacks. Mara defeated her. The battle's over now!_

No, it isn't. _Hotaru argued. _The Lady Shikome has not been defeated yet.

"_Then that attack-"_

Was not of this world. _Hotaru finished. _That was something foreign, perhaps an attack on your demon's physical body. Yet it was not caused by any Ikusa here in your mind, Keiichi, and thus cannot be seen as an interruption. _The lynx fell to the ground convulsing as Keiichi returned his attention to Mara. Slowly, the sparks started to fade, leaving Mara's smoking form a distance away from the Shikome's own wispy body.__ Then the burned corpse moved, and Keiichi watched in horror as the Shikome's body picked itself up._

"_How can she still…" Keiichi trailed off, feeling his stomach roll as the dark demi-goddess shakily climbed to her feet. Half of her black hair was gone; burned away like the flesh of her face in Mara's fire. What remained was the color of white ash, the flesh beneath seared away to reveal scorched, black bone. One of the Shikome's eyes was missing, and from the eyepit a continuous waft of steam rose._

_And then there was an eye again._

_Keiichi shuddered, taking a step back despite himself. "Didn't she just…the Shikome can regenerate?" The man demanded. "That isn't-this is a rigged fight!"_

_Hotaru's head twitched, leaving Keiichi with the impression of the Ikusa looking down at him. _This from the man who sides with a powerful demon? Would it still be fair had your Mara not been injured by that parasite and torn the Lady Shikome to shreds? There were no limitations on abilities from either party. If it's possible, it's allowed.

_Keiichi opened his mouth to argue before snapping it shut with a scowl. The man cursed viciously. "Mara, get up." He whispered urgently. The Shikome lurched towards Mara's fallen form, and ugly snarl on her face. "Come _on_," The undead woman halted before the beast, teeth bared in hate. "You need to get up!" The demi-goddess raised her nail-claws to the heavens, bringing it down with a shriek. "MARA!" Keiichi cried, moving towards the crevice in his mindscape only to be stopped by Hotaru. There came a pained shriek, and the Shikome's rotten hand came away red._

"_Damn it Old Man, let me go!"Keiichi snapped, his eyes unable to look away from the brutality before him. "I need to-if I don't stop her than-" Another scream filled the air, causing a shiver to race down the man's back. "I can't let this continue. It's not worth it!" He continued, fighting his grandfather's grip in an effort to cross the canyon. "Mara came here for me so that I could live, but what's the point if she ends up dying in the process!?" The spirit demanded. _

_Hotaru tilted his head. "So you are willing to sacrifice your chance at life for a demon? Though that chance would reunite you with your woman?"_

"_Yes!" Keiichi whipped his head to face Hotaru. "I can't-I won't let someone sacrifice themselves for my sake. Not if there's another way. Not if it can be avoided! I could never forgive myself if Mara was to die because of me. How could I face myself, face Belldandy if I were to let Mara die trying to save me?" He demanded, voice hoarse in his ears as he fell silent, panting. "Please let me go." The desperation in his voice was scary, yet to his surprise Hotaru released him, the _naginata _vanishing where once it blocked his path._

Go. _Hotaru's voice echoed calmly within his mind._ Go with your own strength to support you._ And then the Ikusa whispered something more in his ear, causing Keiichi's eyes to widen in surprise. Then the man was off, Mara's name a scream in his throat as he leaped the crevice to the Borderlands. All around him, explosions erupted as the heads of the opposing Ikusa suddenly erupted in flesh and blood, bone and brain, causing a mass of panic to swell along the crevice edge. Soldiers fell once more into the crevice; some with their heads, more without, as behind Keiichi came the rising moans of confused Ikusa. _

_Yet Keiichi heard none of it, his attention focused on the Shikome, who'd come to pause at the latest disturbance with one bloody hand raised threateningly in the air. He saw the woman's black eyes center on him in what might have been confusion, saw her mouth open as though to question his presence, "Leave. Her. ALONE!" Only for her head to explode before him, leaving Keiichi to gather the wounded Mara in his arms protectively as the Shikome's body fell forward. _

_The man watched the Shikome fall in silence, a frown on his face as he hugged the lynx's body closer to his chest. Only when it made no signs of movements did Keiichi turn his attention to Mara. _

_The spirit's expression evaporated into worry. Portions of the demon's flesh were scorched and black, creating ugly trails of black where the electricity had bitten her. Only where fur melted into scale was the flesh whole, while more areas showed larger puncture wounds, open and bleeding. Keiichi hated the fact that he could identify chunks of bone and exposed muscle, and a wave of nausea swept through his stomach. The man ignored it. "Mara, wake up." He said softly, urgently, tapping the demon's muzzle and receiving no response. "Come on, snap out of it!" He said a little louder, looking up and around and finding the remaining Ikusa soldiers approaching him at a run. The man screwed his eyes shut, felt a mental pinch, and heard the explosions of more soldiers as they collapsed around their companions. Opening dark eyes once more, he found the Ikusa slowing their pace, some checking their fallen comrades as more regarded the spirit warily. The man's mouth felt dry. He couldn't keep this on for long before someone tried to take _his_ head off._

"_I need you Mara, please, don't give up on me yet." Keiichi continued urgently, running a hand along the singed fur of the demon's back and jumping when the lynx twitched as his hand passed the metal protrusion. "Mara?" Eying the Ikusa, Keiichi hesitantly repeated the action, gaining a soft, weak grunt from the beast. Encouraged now, Keiichi continued the actions, even moving so far as to touch the twisted protrusion. _

_The mechanic bit back a hiss of pain. The edges were sharp to the point where even a light graze pierced his flesh. The blood that fell ran along the length of the metal, where the blade seemed almost to absorb the crimson liquid. There was a sharp intake of breath from Mara, causing Keiichi to start. It was the largest sign of life he'd gotten from the unconscious demon yet, and quickly the raven-haired man lifted his head to check his opponents. From his left, and Ikusa started to warily approach, yet before Keiichi could think of destroying the being Hotaru was at the Ikusa's side, holding the spirit back with a shake of his head. "Grandpa?" Keiichi breathed, yet Hotaru gave no response._

_Licking dry lips, the man looked back to Mara. "This is going to suck." He grumbled before wrapping his hand around the metal protrusion. The man braced himself for the onslaught of pain as he tightened his grip, and Keiichi's world exploded into stars. Somewhere he thought he heard a scream, yet he was unsure if it belonged to him or the demon half-laying in his lap. Images bombarded his mind and pain pulsed like a heartbeat-Mara's heartbeat-behind his eyes, and with them the words used to portray them. An ancient man with red eyes, face permanently planted in a frown that made him tremble. _Grandfather._ A man, his flesh tattooed with leopard spots who made his heart leap whenever he smiled.. _Mentor_. Women dressed in white, their eyes a demon's gold that made him shudder. _Windego._ Caged, surrounded by cages, him a beast like all the others around him, the stink of fear sickening. _Prisoner. _A silver-haired woman who regarded him with hungry violet-red eyes that he looked to in desperation. _Monster. _A golden-eyed man with copper skin who smelled of medicine and filled him with a mixture of trepidation and relief. _Safe. _The silver-haired woman once more, lacking the red hunger that once haunted her gaze, the one he sought to please and yet who terrified him more than Grandfather. _Monst-no, Master.

_Somewhere off in the distance, he thought he heard a howl-a black howl, a dead howl, a-_

_And then he was on his back, looking up to the blackness of the borderlands sky with a gasp. His head throbbed, his hand throbbed, and it felt like a mule had just kicked him in the gut. A pair of red eyes framed in a furry face blocked out the black sky. _I took too much. _A voice whispered worriedly in his mind. _I'm sorry, I took to much, it started to bleed together and..._one eye's pupil was larger than the other. _I'm sorry._ The voice repeated. _But I was so weak and I needed the energy and you offered and...and...what did you see?

_Keiichi blinked before rolling onto his side with a moan. His hand felt like it was on fire and his body trembled as he pushed himself up. The man stared at the creature in confusion as the foreign images settled. "Are you okay?" He asked instead, catching the lynx off guard. "You-are you still hurt?"_

_Mara stared at him, looking rather ragged yet very much alive. The red-eyed lynx sat from where she'd stood hovering over him. _Yes._ She was panting, Keiichi noticed, and Keiichi thought he could smell the unmistakable scent of fear-so much like the cages, the cages, damn those fuc-abruptly the spirit cut the thought off. _

_The man ran a hand through his hair. "What happened?" He wanted to ask, only to instead erupt into coughs. Mara seemed to understand well enough, however._

_The beast's ears swiveled attentively towards him. _I was weak. _She admitted, skin twitching uncomfortably at the revelation. _I needed a source of life energy. You offered it to me. _Her ears went back and the lynx bowed her head, looking up at him abashed. _I needed a lot. I didn't know-I might have taken too much._ A soft, anxious cry parted the demon's maw. _I got some of your-we exchanged memories. I didn't know when to stop.

_For a moment Keiichi imagined he heard the howl again, sending his might alight with images of a shadowy beast, vaguely canine in shape and somehow familiar._

_Keiichi blinked. "Oh." Was all he could think to say. The spirit looked around. "So...did we win?" He asked instead, looking to the Shikome's body in curiosity. Her neck was engulfed in thick smoke, a sure sign that the demi-goddess was once more regenerating. Around them both the remaining Ikusa hovered; a third of what had once been an army surrounding them. Had he really destroyed so many of them?_

I'm not sure. _For all her uncertainty, Mara sounded relieved at the change of topic. _I didn't win, but neither did the Shikome. Not after what you did, Keiichi._ It almost sounded like the demon was impressed with him, yet a glance from the corner of one dark eye showed the demon paying more attention to the Ikusa than him or the Shikome. _I think we can finish them off, but I'm not 100% on it..._the demon sounded a bit dazed, and Keiichi recalled the uneven pupils, a sure sign of a concussion. _

_A long baying yip sounded off somewhere, and this time Keiichi caught Mara's ears twisting to follow the sound as well. He regarded her warily. "...Does that mean there are still others?" He asked tiredly. The man could barely stand, let alone summon the strength to walk or blow more heads up. _

_Mara didn't respond at first,instead rising to her feet and turning fully in the direction the cry had arisen. _Familiar_. A voice rose in his mind, causing Keiichi's brows to furrow together in confusion. The man followed Mara's gaze, hearing the __uncomfortable moans of the surrounding Ikusa intermingle with more audible yips and cries and the foreign song of an alien bird. "No one told me there were dead animals here as well as ghouls." Keiichi muttered under his breath, wondering why he hadn't seen any until now. "Why are they just now appearing? Or are there ghoul-animals to go along with ghoul-humans?" The thought twisted his stomach uneasily. Human zombies were bad enough, but the idea of a zombie dog or wolf seemed twice as bad. At least humans he had a chance of outrunning. He'd have no such luck with a canine, and the mechanic really didn't like the idea of a flock of birds descending to peck out his flesh._

_The bird appeared first; built like a stork, only larger. It's peak was long and narrow, curving in a downward ark as the white creature appeared at the top of a hill. It shuffled its large wings restlessly and Keiichi had to rub his eyes. For a second, the bird almost looked like a monkey instead. A second glance revealed that the bird was still a bird, though it wasn't any bird Keiichi recognized. _

_It's shadow seemed to rise from the earth itself, yet where he was certain it should have been a bird or a monkey-why couldn't he get his mind off a monkey?-instead a canine appeared, its ears sharp and pointed and a coat darker than the night sky. _Death, fear, don't trust-trust?_ The thoughts flashed through his mind faster than Keiichi could blink, leaving his mind as quickly as they came and leaving the man shaking. The beast came to rest beside the large white water bird, its coat a sharp contrast to its feathered companion. Its eyes were a milky white that seemed to glow against the dog's black head, and for all the creature looked blind, Keiichi got the haunting feeling that the hound saw better than anyone else present. _

_The beast tipped its head back in a long, drawn out howl, and Keiichi felt his skin crawl at the unnatural melody. _That's no ghoul._ He knew immediately. _I don't know what that is, but its no ghoul. _ He was sweating, the man realized; his arms broken out in goosebumps and feeling eerily cold. Death, the spirit recalled. Death in manner more real than what he faced now._

_As one, bird and dog trekked down the hill, approaching Ikusa, spirit, and demon alike. Keiichi wasn't the only one who sensed the unnatural presence of the two beasts either; the Ikusa nearest, Hotaru included, immediately moved away from the creatures, creating an opening amongst the undead soldiers that allowed bird and dog to approach mortal and demon. _So _this_ is the source of the commotion in the Borderlands. _A voice, high and shrill, rang in his skull. Keiichi winced. _To think that a single demon and a renegade spirit could cause so much trouble!_ The bird spread its wings, snapping its beak with a squawk. _

_Behind him, Keiichi heard a hiss. He looked to Mara, who stood to his right, attentively staring at the black dog. Only one ear, curled backwards to listen behind her, showed any indication she was alive. The lynx had grown as still and silent as a statue. "These two...these two!" The Shikome hissed, and Keiichi turned to look at her, watching as she struggled to her feet once more. A large portion of her upper skull was still missing, and where there was no bone Keiichi saw instead the gray matter of the Demi-goddess' brain. The woman caught his staring with one cataract-ridden eye, and abruptly he turned his attention back to the animals. "The demon has wrecked havoc on the surrounding lands!" The Shikome continued, and Keiichi could almost see her pointing at Mara in rage. "She's been feasting on the residential ghouls like a wild animal, leaving not even their souls behind for reincarnation!" The woman howled. "And the boy...the renegade fool! The demon has manipulated him into working for her! Look around you! Look at my army! One hundred, one hundred strong they once were! Now only a third of what they once were because of that demon and that spirit!"_

Oh? _The bird tilted its head. _Is that true_? It asked, before tilting its head to one side, bringing one black pit of an eye to bare down on Keiichi. The man felt himself break into a cold sweat once more. The creature's eye was like a black hole; no light reflected from its depths, leaving the image of a miniature void where an eye should have been. It turned its head to regard Keiichi with it's other eye; identical to its sibling, before taking a step towards the man. _

_Keiichi swallowed. His throat felt like sandpaper. "Ah..." He began, nervously looking to Mara for guidance. The lynx didn't so much as glance his way. Her attention was too heavily set on the dog, who returned her gaze with an equal intensity. "I-I guess it's true...uh, to an extent anyways." _

Explain._ The bird encouraged, beak clacking audibly. _Judge I may not be, mediator I am. Let me hear your side, Spirit.

_Keiichi took an unsteady breath. Someone who was actually willing to listen to him for a change without judging him. It made him feel like he was a bullied five year old again, yet the relief that came with it was so strong it hurt, leaving Keiichi to ignore the feeling as best as possible. Perhaps in the eyes of everyone present, he _was_ a bullied five year old. "Well..." The man dove into an explanation; of finding himself in the borderlands and meeting his grandfather. Of Mara's madness __and the ghouls the trio attracted. Of the Ikusa Army within his own mindscape and Mara's plans to defeat them. The Shikome's appearance, the deal between demi-goddess and demon. Mara's near-defeat and his own interference. And through it all the bird said nothing, merely stood before Keiichi silently and listened, sometimes watching the man with its left eye, other times its right. Only once did the Shikome try to interrupt him, to argue against his perspective, only to be silenced immediately when the bird's unnerving eyes centered on her. After that, she did not speak again. _

_When he finished, the white creature regarded the man in curiosity. _One who does not belong. _It said, regarding Keiichi with a tilt of its head. It fluffed its feathers out, momentarily looking twice as large as it actually was. As the feathers settled, it turned its gaze to the Shikome. _Lady Izanami was wise in sending someone out to retrieve This One; however, given that he had someone already coming to retrieve him back to the world of the living, it would have been wiser still to allow him and the demon to depart.

_The Shikome bared her teeth in anger. "The demon was mad. Would you have me ignore such a beast in the borderlands? Where it could become a threat to Guides and Spirits alike?"_

_The bird whipped its head in a motion resembling a head shake. _No, no, you were well within your right there. However the demon regained her sanity, did she not? And when she did, was she not willing to return peacefully to her own realm with only the spirit she came to retrieve in hand?

_The Undead Demi-goddess hissed in anger, yet the bird continued as though it never heard her. _Here I believe the fault lies more with your Ikusa more so than yourself. Had the ancestor sentenced to retrieve the _Ba_ held the wisdom to allow demon and spirit to depart in peace, this whole incident could very well have been avoided. _The creature craned its head upwards, towering high above Keiichi's head as the long-necked bird turned to regard the remaining Ikusa. _

_Was it just his imagination, or did Hotaru flinch? "Hey, come on, that guy was just trying to do what he thought was right." Keiichi said aloud, surprising more than just himself as he came to his grandfather's defense. "He-we both did." The man faltered. "Ah-do what we thought was right, anyways." The mechanic rubbed the back of his head nervously. "Gran-Hotaru thought I was in danger if I stayed with Mara, the um, the demon. He was doing what he thought would be in my best interest-really, the whole thing was a big misunderstanding."_

_The stork-like bird stared at him in confusion. _You are a curious _Ba_, I do believe. _It said. _First you are against your opponents, yet when I make a judgment you quickly come to your opponent's defense. _The _bird_ clicked its long, narrow bill at Keiichi in something that reminded him of laughter. _Well? _The bird looked over its shoulder to its darker companion. _What is your take on all this?

_The dog said nothing that Keiichi could hear. Only the twitch of one ear let Keiichi know it even acknowledged the bird's words, which clicked its beak in its not-laughter again. The white entity returned its attention to Keiichi and the Shikome. _Lady Shikome, you have done enough here. You have lost many a _Ba_ to the demon that stands near the mortal you so wish to bring back to Yomi and I believe it is time you gathered what remains and return to your world. This psuedo-war you've started has started to cause unrest within the Underworlds that rest on this border, and it would be in your best interest to retreat before the Lords of those Worlds send their own armies to investigate the disturbance here. _A crown of feathers rose around its neck. _Not unless you wish the Lady Izanami to try her hand against the creatures under M'Lord Horus.

"_Is that a threat, Lord Thoth?" It was the first time Keiichi had heard the bird addressed by a name. _

_Thoth shook his head once more. _ I am a scribe of the Gods, Lady Shikome. Nothing more, nothing less. _The bird-no, God, Keiichi recalled. Thoth was an Egyptian God. _I merely hand out warnings. The Lady Ereshkigal is not the only one who employs demons, after all, and Osiris is rather...insecure over his position as an Underworld deity now. After all, Ammit is always hungry for_ Ba._ And she cares not where they come from, only that we feed them to her if they prove themselves unfit for _Duat_. _Thoth released a strange, croaking cackle. _And as none of you are of our people, I can tell you now that Ammit would feast like never before.

_There came a nervous shuffle around them at the mention of 'Ammit', and Keiichi wondered vaguely who Ammit was. Whoever-whatever it was seemed to be enough to even silence the Shikome. She sneered at the large bird. "This shall not be forgotten, Scribe." _

_Thoth dipped his head in agreement. _Nor would I want it to be. By all means, tell your Lady of these events. Have her speak to M'Lord Osiris if need be. Yet for now, I once again feel it's time you and your ilk departed, lest we _all_ end up attracting more attention than necessary.

_There came another upset hiss from the Shikome, and without turning Keiichi could feel her glare digging into his back. Then with a snarl she turned away, rallying the rest of her soldiers with a snap. Those that remained took a wide berth around mortal, gods and demon, warily keeping their distance as they moved to their leader once more. _

_Keiichi turned to watch them go his gaze following Hotaru's form. The soldier joined his comrades in a matching silence, sparing no glance towards his wayward grandson. Keiichi was uncertain if he was grateful or not for the action. _Thanks Grandpa. _He thought to himself, thinking back to his last conversation with Hotaru. _I know you told me how to do that trick but...there was no way in hell I blew them all up on my own.

_Something came to rest on his shoulder, and in curiosity Keiichi turned towards it. A white-furred hand, the digits long and slender, lightly gripped his shirt, and with a start he turned to the hand's owner. The monkey-a large, white baboon, if Keiichi had to guess, tilted its head in curiosity at him before baring its teeth in a mockery of a smile. The fangs were long and yellow with age, and the monkey's eyes were two small voids that swallowed the light that hit them. Keiichi blinked, startled, then frowned. "Weren't you a bird before?" He asked._

_Thoth released him, wiggling his fingers in front of Keiichi's face. _An Ibis does not have fingers._ He said. _It is hard to write with feathers and bird feet. _The monkey held a long scroll of papyrus in his other hand, one that he began to unroll now that he had Keiichi's attention. _Come. _He said, gesturing to their four-legged companions. _I believe it is time all of us settled down for a nice, long talk.

* * *

_Comments of a Madwoman: Yeah...I blame most of this on Sazan Eyes. Especially the part between Bell and Tulpa Hild. Expect some interesting revelations to come to light in the next chapter._


	35. Only Human

_Mara's ear swiveled backwards, tracing the sound of Keiichi's path as he approached. His footsteps were familiar now, easily discernible from the heavier footfall of Thoth's more ape-like avatar. They were talking. About what, Mara couldn't say. Thoth wasn't broadcasting his thoughts to the demon as he was Keiichi, leaving the human with the appearance that he was having a one-sided conversation with the monkey. _

_Not that it mattered to Mara._

_She had other things to occupy herself with. Like the large black dog sitting several feet away form her. No words had been shared between the two of them; the dog-if he was who she thought he was-had never been much for conversations, and Mara herself found herself increasingly nervous in his presence. It _had_ to be him, she reasoned. There weren't many black dogs that roamed the Underworld, and the intelligence within his bright, white eyes destroyed any thoughts that he might be another guard dog like Cerberus or Garm. _But what if it's not_? The lynx asked herself. _I could get us both in trouble if I say the wrong thing to this guy and it turns out not to be Him. _Her skin twitched at the thought. The dog was waiting for her to act first, she was certain, and it made her injuries itch. The lynx _hated_ waiting games._

_Finally, an idea came to her. _It's either he'll know its me or he'll think I just insulted him._ She told herself. _Either way, it'll save His ass if it turns out I'm wrong, and a demon insulting a god, even an Underworld god, is nothing new. _A thought occurred to her, and the lynx wilted on the inside. _Nidhogg curse it, if I'm going to make it an insult, I'm going to need to announce it to everyone, not just Him. But if it is Him, and he responds..._a small piece of her screamed in agony. _...That means _they're_ going to hear it too..._The fiery beast swore in every language she knew and several that she didn't, almost wishing the black beast before her wasn't who she was hoping it so dearly could be._

_The lynx took a deep breath. _Principessa Consuela Bansardiheyla Buttsniff! _The demon all but screamed, a part of her cringing as the horrible name escaped the confines of her mind. There came an audible squawk from somewhere to her left, and Mara deliberately ignored it in favor of the canine. She watched his reaction carefully, watching as the beast stiffened, ears lashing in all directions as though the name had been auditory in stead of mental; the hound searching for the direction the name had come from. The black hound rose to all fours, and Mara mimicked his stance, suddenly on guard. _Shit, I was wrong. _She thought to herself. _It's not Him. Nidhogg bless it I should have-

George Tiddybomboms!_ The canine responded, and Mara almost fell over her feet in the sheer amount of relief that cascaded down upon her. The dog's tail began to wag, and the beast yipped at her. _

_Somewhere behind her Mara could easily make out Keiichi's strangled voice. "G-george Tiddybomboms?" The man sounded like he was choking on something. Mara's ears folded back against her head and the demon bristled. _

Don't laugh, Keiichi. I swear, if you fucking laugh you can kiss any hope at children good-bye. _She growled, only vaguely surprised to find the black dog-Bansar, he'd begged her, once upon a time so long ago-at her side and growling as well. _

_The demon looked over her shoulder at the human. Keiichi stood beside Thoth, eying them both warily. Yet even Mara's threats and Bansar's growls were not enough to rid the smirk from the spirit's face. The demon narrowed her red eyes and yowled in warning, the dog snarling at her side for added affect. Smiling, Keiichi raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! I get it, it's not funny." The smile only grew. "Definitely not funny." He insisted. _

_Beside him Thoth rested back on his hindquarters, large jaws open and panting in what Mara immediately recognized as laughter. _Such unique names! _The monkey exclaimed. _No wonder you are so closed lipped about _that_ time, my friend. Tell me, who bequeathed you and your associate with such titles?

_Mara unconsciously shuddered at the memories. Bansar growled and leaned against her. He was a full two heads taller than the lynx, seeming to tower over the smaller demon. _Something that never should have existed. _Mara said warily, sending a flat look toward the monkey that killed any chances at further questions. The baboon bowed his head in acknowledgment, and the demon felt a tension she'd not realized existed leave her body._

_Bansar sat panting beside her and Mara headbutted him. Nidhogg curse it, it had been too long. She'd been sealed and then the whole fiasco with Vikoka happened and she'd wound up captured and then Skuld and Keiichi and...the demon closed her eyes with a sigh, momentarily overwhelmed by the many events stacked on top of each other. Bansar nudged her, and Mara opened her eyes. Keiichi was staring at her in open curiosity, and the demon tilted her head to one side in confusion, wondering what he was found so interesting. _

_The baboon gestured canine and feline towards him. _Come, come, gather 'round. We've much to discuss thanks in part to your disturbance. _He revealed. _And what must be done to right those wrongs.

_The lynx stood, shaking herself and removing the freshest layer of ash from her coat. The dog sneezed before trailing after her; a large, intimidating shadow that dwarfed her smaller build. The demon eyed the scribe in distrust, hackles raising even as Bansar grunted, nudging her hard enough to stumble with his snout. _Be nice. _He advised. _The Scribe holds allegiance to no one.

_Mara sent her larger companion an uncertain look before giving in and settling at Keiichi's side. During the short time she'd known him, the demon had learned to trust the canine's word, and now would be a bad time to start doubting him. Thoth bared his teeth at Bansar in a human's smile; it came off looking like a snarl, missing the hostility usually attributed with such a look. _Thank you, my friend. _He said with a nod, shifting to face human and demon together. _

_The Scribe unrolled the papyrus in his hand. _Ah, yes. Keiichi Morisato, is it not? _The baboon directed one black pit of an eye towards the mortal in question, who looked at the deity in trepidation. _Summoned a Norn working one of the Wish Foundations and incidentally had her bound to his side. _The monkey redirected his attention to the document. _Managed to bring forth the remaining Norns to the Assiah...cursed into various forms not his own..._The deity sent a look to Mara, who returned it without a blink. He returned to the document. _Lord of Destruction...my, even allowed himself to be possessed by it for the Norn! Demons playing with time...even met with the Daimakaicho personally!_ Had it been possible, Mara was almost certain Thoth would have whistled. _

_The white deity continued at a softer pace, muttering more to himself than anyone else. Finally he looked up, meeting Keiichi's puzzled gaze. _You've got quite a track record, _Ba_. No wonder you came up as an anomaly in the system. With so much divine and demonic intervention, I'm surprised you even come up as 'human' in the books!

_That caught Keiichi's attention. The man stiffened in alarm. "What's that supposed to mean?" He demanded, and so close to him Mara could smell the bitter-sweet scent of fear rising from his body. _

_Thoth tilted his head to one side in curiosity, switching his gaze from Keiichi to Mara and back again. _You don't know, Lad? _He asked, confusion audible in his voice. When Keiichi shook his head, he looked to Mara. _Has no one told him? Of the results that happen to one so close to the Otherworlds?

_Mara moved to lay down. Her shoulder was starting to burn again. A bad sign. _Hell if I know. _She said, carefully pushing her back against Bansar, being careful of the metal spike in her shoulder. _It isn't until recently that I've been forced to interact so much with Keiichi._ She explained. _Otherwise, I kept more to myself when on the Assiah with him. What little interactions we _did_ have were on opposite sides of the fence. _She flinched when something cool and moist tickled the area around the metal ridden shoulder. A quick glance showed the canine behind her actively investigating the foreign metal, a small, perturbed growl in his throat. _Don't touch that. _She warned. _It'll zap you dry before I can even think to stop it.

_The black beast looked up, curiosity warring with concern shining in his bright eyes. _How did you get this? _He inquired._

_Mara hesitated a moment before shaking her head. _Doesn't matter. _She almost snapped. _Just-just don't touch the metal. It's dangerous. _Turning back to Thoth, the lynx continued. _Keiichi isn't-_wasn't_ my responsibility, so I assume Belldandy or Urd would have told him about it.

"_Told me what?" Keiichi demanded, looking between Mara and Thoth expectantly. "What was Belldandy supposed to tell me?" _

_Thoth shared a glance with Mara. _I believe it might be better to hear it from you, Madam George, _Mara winced the name, _being that the two of you are better acquainted.

_Mara's stubby tail lashed against the ground, stirring up a small cloud of ash. Keiichi looked to her expectantly, and the demon released a sigh. _Of all the things Belldandy _couldn't _have told him..._she muttered, uncaring if Keiichi heard her or not. Shaking her head in disdain, the demon looked at Keiichi. _No one told you about what happens to humans who interact _too _much with the divine or the damned. _She said._

_Keiichi held his silence, yet Mara could see the nervousness written on his face. Damn the Norns, they really _hadn't _told him. _Keiichi, you remember what happened during the last uprising in Niflheim, right? The revelations about the wish, the Gates, the test from the Almighty Himself? _Keiichi looked at her in shock, mouth slack with surprise. _No, no, whatever it is, save it. I've got my ways, Boy, and Urd loves nothing if not gossip. _She snorted. _Haven't you ever wondered about it? Why there were so many tests stacked on you? No, not Belldandy Boy, listen to me. _You._ And I swear if you give some ridiculous answer like the Almighty was testing your love for Belldandy or some other romantic shit I'll slap you upside the head with my paw-claws extended.

_Immediately Keiichi's mouth snapped shut, and Mara sighed once more, ears drooping as the sure signs of a headache came on. _See this is one of the things I hate about gods-_she paused, looking over her shoulder at Bansar. _Otherworld Gods, anyways. _She corrected. _The higher ones don't lie, sure, but they're damned good at dodging true explanations with smaller truths. It's irritating as all hell and then we demons get a bad name for laying out the entire truth on the spot and then being ignored. _Mara shook her head in disgust._

You're ranting. _Bansar pointed out, and grumbling Mara returned to the topic at hand._

Keiichi, they weren't _just_ testing your devotion to Belldandy. They were testing _you. _They wanted to see how far you'd progressed.

"_Progressed?" Keiichi stared at the demon in confusion. "Mara, what do you mean? You aren't making any sense._

_Mara rolled her eyes, growling in irritation. _Progressed to _godhood_, Keiichi. They wanted to see how much more divine you'd become since meeting Belldandy and her sisters.

"_God-" Keiichi went still. Very, very still. _

_Watching him carefully, Mara continued. _Did you think Belldandy's parents would allow simply anyone with their favored daughter? A mortal who's life was but a flash of light in comparison to Belldandy's own? Why do you think the Daimakaicho took such an interest in you upon your first meeting? Here's a hint: it wasn't because of your good looks.

Keiichi, humans are creatures born of the flesh of the first demons and the spirits of the first gods. They are constantly walking a gray path of neutrality which can at any moment grow darker or lighter depending on that person. Because of their heritage, because of how easy they are to sway from that neutral path, humans begin to mutate when cast in the presence of the divine or the demonic. That same mutagen, that very thing that _makes_ them human, can also make them gods or demons. A man who chooses to devote his life to the gods, to speak with them and learn their ways, can in turn become as holy as the deities he worships, for his actions and words attract those very entities to his side. This cleanses the spirit, allowing the man to evolve and ascend to the same level as the deities around him.

Yet the same can also be said of a man who chooses to walk in the shadows. A man who succumbs to his own desires, his own instincts, draws the presence of demons to him. His spirit becomes polluted and black, allowing the blood of the first demon, Kingu, to awaken and devolve his form into one of the lower Demonkin. His spirit will tear apart the body that becomes unfit to house it and transforms into a lesser demon; a creature of mindless, selfish instinct.

_Burning red met stunned brown, and Mara bared her teeth in a snarl. That_ was why you were tested by the Gate. _That _was why you were tested by the Almighty. And _that_ is probably the only reason you still have a sinner's chance in heaven to even _exist, _let alone live.

And therein lies the problem. _Thoth picked up, budding into Mara's explanation as the lynx broke her gaze with the man. _Your records show what you have been through, the many trials you've endured and the active divine influence on your life since summoning the Norn Belldandy into your life. _The monkey shook his head. _For all intensive purposes, you should be a demigod right now, and thus incapable of even accessing the Underworlds.

"_D-demigod!?" _

_The demon fell silent, taking in Keiichi's shocked expression with no small level of complacence. A small part of her still resented the man's existence and all the trouble he'd caused her because of it, and by Nidhogg's fangs it felt good to yell at him. Mara closed her eyes, feeling a tension and irritation she hadn't even knew existed slide from her body. It'd been a long time since she'd been able to scream at someone beneath her. _

Laid it on a little thick, don't you think?_ Bansar murmured from where he lay resting beside her. His voice was soft, meant only for her ears over anyone else. Briefly she wondered if the canine knew how to actively broadcast his thoughts to one person in particular rather than to anyone within range._

_Mara ignored the comment for a moment, choosing instead to stretch her legs, pushing herself harder against the black dog's body. Bansar grunted. _Not in particularly. _She replied, opening her eyes to observe the mortal. Keiichi was staring at her, eyes still wide with shock from the revelation, one hand buried in his hair. _It's the Norns' own fault for not telling the fool sooner. Leaving an explanation up to a demon over a god means there's nothing to buffer my words. It's _his _choice on what he's going to do with it.

_Ignoring their secondary conversation, Thoth continued with a nod of his head. _Yes. _He agreed. _You've had an incredibly active divine influence in your life; three Norns, a first-class goddess, a Valkyrie, a young, second-class goddess, and even contact with the Almighty and his consort. _The monkey tilted his head to one side, observing the man in with one eye in a manner more similar to his ibis avatar than the baboon. _Not even the demonic influence in your life which sought to balance that interference-your lynx, the little time turner, nor the many direct interactions with the Daimakaicho and access to Niflheim should have been enough to balance so much divinity, and yet..._the monkey spread his hands. _Here you are. Human.

"_And yet here I am." Keiichi echoed in a daze. "A human." The man looked between the three entities, and Mara looked towards him in open curiosity as his gaze rested on her. Then to Mara's bafflement, Keiichi began to laugh. A high, nervous laugh that bordered on hysteria. "This-" The man snickered, running a hand through his hair. "Heh, Mara, what kind of joke is this?" The spirit laughed louder, and despite herself Mara rolled to her feet in alarm. "Y-you got me good there. Hell, you even got your buddies in on the gag!"_

_If denial had a scent, Keiichi would have reeked of it at that exact moment. _This is no joke, Keiichi. _She said firmly, only for the man to erupt in a fresh fit of giggles. _I'm serious! _She cried, feeling a fresh bud of anger well in her chest at the man's impudence. The fact that he was borderline hysteric flew to the farthest recesses of her mind, and the demon bristled with an angry hiss. _Stop treating this like it doesn't affect you!

_The words caused Keiichi to pause, and the man squared his gaze on Mara. The spirit's eyes were half-mad, bright with fever and desperation that caused Mara's initial hostility towards the man's attitude to vanish. "Then how am I supposed to treat this?" He demanded, voice shrill with anxiety. "You just...Mara, you just told me that I shouldn't even be human right now!" The man leaped to his feet. "That because I was around the woman I love-because I was around Belldandy and Urd and Skuld and Peorth so much that-that..." The man clutched his head with both hands. "What do you want me to do, treat you all like radiation or something? That I should be...That I'm..." Keiichi's voice was trembling, and Mara realized that they hadn't just shocked him-they'd flat out _terrified _him. _

_Her shoulder throbbed. _Keiichi- _the lynx rolled to her feet and approached him, only for the man to jump away from her as though she was a snake. _

"_No." _He_ said, voice firm for all his face was white with fear. "Just-no. Okay?" He backed further away from her, from all three of them. "I-I need...I need to think this out." And without another word the man turned and bolted._

Keiichi! _Mara shouted, moving to chase after the mortal only to collide with a wall of darkness. The lynx grunted, stumbling backwards as Keiichi disappeared into the horizon. The demon looked up with a grimace, meeting a pair of solid white eyes. _Move Bansar!_ She snarled, all pleasantry gone from her voice. _I need to bring him back!

_Bansar did not move. Nor did he flinch under her gaze. _Why is the mortal so important to you? _He asked._

_Mara's ears folded against her head, a growl rumbling in her throat. _ He isn't! _She snapped. _I couldn't give two shits about that fool!

Then why are you trying so hard to retrieve him?

_Mara bared her teeth in a manner that was more a grimace than a snarl. _Because I promised a child I'd bring him back. _She said. _Because Urd, someone I value for reasons even _I _can't explain, views him as part of her family._ The demon sat, feeling a new wave of weariness seep into her bones. Yggdrasil's root, her shoulder hurt. ..._And because for all his spirit is here, his physical body is wasting away in a cage right beside mine. _She finished softly. Had she always felt so exhausted? Her shoulder..._

_In front of her, Bansar worriedly thumped his tail against the ground, a high whine escaping his throat._ A cage..._The dog-no, he was no dog, Mara acknowledged. She only saw him as a dog because the abnormal Wendigo called him a dog and whatever that monster said became law. The _jackal_ pressed against her comfortingly. _Has anyone ever told you you're a terrible liar? _He asked, sniffing at the twisted metal in her shoulder once more._

_Mara closed her eyes. _Only you." _She retorted weakly. The demon felt too exhausted to argue with the Underworld Entity now._

Leave him be. _The jackal advised, drawing his head away with a sneeze. _He needs to come to terms with what he was just told, something made easier without the presence of otherworldly entities. _The black beast observed the metal in distaste. _In the meantime, why don't you tell me how you obtained this thing. _The Underworld deity licked at the fur around the wound, and Mara suppressed a shudder at the almost soothing cool that seeped into the inflamed muscles. _I find this thing leaves a bad...taste in my mouth.

_Mara grimaced, ears pressing against her head as she irritably looked to Thoth. _This is all your fault. _She accused._

* * *

_Keiichi ran for what felt like an eternity. Minutes, hours, days...there was no way to accurately tell how much time passed, how much ground he covered, only that he ran through the fire in his lungs and the pain in his feet. It hurt, yet seemed incapable of stopping the man as the fatigue would have in his physical body. _Demigod._ He thought, and Keiichi pushed himself harder. What did that even mean for someone like him? He was supposed to be a human-a regular, short, human mortal who went to college and worked on bikes and drank and partied like everyone else. _

_So what if the love of his life wasn't human? Who cared if he kept company more often with extra-dimensional beings than other humans? Was it really going to affect who-what-he was if he was victimized to potions or inventions or demonic plots?_

_No. It shouldn't have. _Demigod._ And yet...his mind raced through the past several years of his life. He'd been cursed by Mara. He'd offered himself up for possession by the Lord of Destruction. He'd undergone magical influence in Sayoko's 'Magic Kingdom' from the transformed school and...and...angel._

_The man came to a stop, dropping his hands to his knees and breathing heavily. The angel...that's right! He'd even supported another deity's angel! And a devil! "Because I was loved by many goddesses..." He said aloud, recalling Lind's words from that night. The man grit his teeth. "Son of a BITCH!" He roared, smashing his fist into a nearby boulder. Pain flared up his arm, piercing the cloudy haze of emotions that muddled his thoughts. _

_Still panting, the man approached the boulder and turned, dropping to the ground and leaning his back against the rock. "Can support an angel-or a devil, but it was angelic in nature because it was Belldandy's." He muttered, bowing his head as he propped his arms up on his knees. "Been victimized by Hild's plots as well as Mara's..." He paused, then added as an after thought, "and Urd's and Peorth's as well. Got turned into a girl," he made a face at that, "and can see ghosts." The man sighed, leaning his head against the boulder with a light thump. "Hild kissed me before going to Niflheim and forced me to carry some miniscule piece of her inside me-gross, who knows what she did to me then-and I also got Herja's blood all over me when the shrine was attacked." Keiichi frowned, swallowing a lump of guilt that rose in his throat. "D-didn't Lind say something about the dangers of a goddesses' blood or something back then?" The dark-haired man screwed his eyes shut. "I can't remember..." A grim smile spread across his face. "And of course now I'm here, which would lead back to what that monkey-bird was saying about my still being human." The man opened brown eyes, looking to the dark, murky sky above his head. He felt his neck, running his fingers over the irregular flesh from where Mara had bitten him. "And I took some of her memories too..." Images of cages and the maddening scents of fear and death flashed through Keiichi's mind. _

_The man laughed with a grim sort of acceptance. "Maybe Thoth was right. Maybe it really _is_ a miracle I'm still human." Sighing, Keiichi shook his head, taking in the quiet of the area meditatively. Somewhere off in the distance he thought he heard the groans of ghouls, yet they sounded far off. "Belldandy..." It wasn't her fault she hadn't told him, of that much Keiichi was dead certain. Her status as a goddess first-class meant she wasn't allowed to speak of many things in the most literal of senses, and the man was almost positive the whole...mutation...thing was one of them as well. Urd might or might not have known, given her own position as a goddess second-class, and Keiichi was pretty sure Skuld was ignorant of the whole fact. Would either of them have been more careful with him had they known? Or would the impending thought of his own godhood have only encouraged their rough antics with him? _

_Brooding, Keiichi shook his head. In a sense it was almost ironic that Mara was the one to tell him. The revelation came as more than a shock; to know that his own libido had been restrained with his original wish with Belldandy was nothing in comparison to the discovery that he might not even be human anymore. Mara telling him gave him someone to lash out at, even if Mara didn't deserve the blunt of his anger. "The woman I trust is unable to tell me the truth and the woman I don't is the one who speaks it." The man grumbled. Had it been anyone else, he'd probably be de-more than dead right now. "An anomaly." He muttered, recalling his grandfather's words. "He said people like me weren't even supposed to be here. Was this what he meant?" _

_A sigh escaped his throat, his anger fading as the man looked around. The surrounding area was identical to the rest of the land with its jagged terrain of loose boulders and dirt, none of which he recognized as near his mindscape. Keiichi grimaced. "I shouldn't have run." He muttered. "It's not like I know this place very well or anything." Great. So he'd just condemned himself to wandering around like an idiot until Mara found him again._

_The man heard a familiar moan and winced. Maybe if he left enough bodies Mara or her friends would be able to find him faster-and suddenly found himself laughing once more. Since when had blowing up a ghoul's head become such a casual thought for him? _

_As if knowing his thoughts, right on time Keiichi spied a ghoul slowly making its way towards him, it's walk more of a hobble. It looked like something had eaten one of the ruined spirit's feet. Bite marks and deep scratches covered its rotting flesh, and Keiichi spied multiple holes the size of his fist covering the spirit's torso. The man frowned, feeling an overwhelming sense of pity for the creature. It's last conscious thoughts must have been awful. And in that moment Keiichi realized how lucky he was. If not for his grandfather, if not for Mara, he could have very easily become the very creature that now so desperately approached him. _

_And now here he was again with only himself to rely on. He had no ancestor to rely on. Hotaru was making his way back to Yomi, and from the spirits initial perspective of the Shikome, if it was discovered that Hotaru had aided Keiichi in his plight to save Mara, would most likely be punished for something close to borderline-treachery. The man had no demon either, though. Mara, for all the care she'd taken to try and bring him back to the world of the living, was probably back with Thoth and Bansar, angry and most likely cursing his name for his sudden abandonment. _

_Keiichi squeezed the bridge of his nose. Since when had he started making it a habit of losing the people who went out of their way to care for him? _

_Before him the ghoul loomed closer, yet before he could bring about the mental pinch that would leave to the ghoul's downfall, the rotting spirit's head exploded. The man jumped with a yelp, watching as the body fell to the ground before looking around wildly. The man cursed, turning and finding he was not alone. Hotaru, more human than Ikusa, stood behind him, watching him with a frown._

"_Boy, when the hell are you going to learn to shut your yap?" The elder spirit demanded, and Keiichi winced. "Are you naturally loud or do you just have no sense of self-preservation in this world? We could hear you from the bottom of the cliff!" The man pointed behind him, yet Keiichi could see no signs of a cliff edge or the remaining Ikusa and Shikome. His grandfather ran a hand through his hair. "Thought that damned bird's warning was going to become a reality." Hotaru muttered, more to himself than Keiichi. "And instead I find my wayward grandson about to be eaten by a damned ghoul-_again_!"_

_Grimacing, Keiichi rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry." He mumbled. "I-sorry."_

_Hotaru turned his stern gaze on the mechanic. "What the hell are you even doing here?" the man demanded. "Here I am content in the knowledge that you were going back to your woman and that I'd never see your idiotic face again." He snapped. "And yet here you are, following our convoy to the very edges of the borderland into Yomi. Boy, if I didn't know any better, I'd swear you'd changed your mind and wanted to join us!"_

"_That's not it!" Keiichi desperately cried, alarm causing his voice to rise in panic. Hotaru sent him an angry glare, and the man lowered his voice. "That-that's not it." He repeated softly. "It's just that-fuck, I don't know. I-I guess I'm a little lost is all."_

"_Could have fooled me." Hotaru retorted impartially._

_Keiichi allowed himself a smirk. "Yeah..." He mumbled. "It's just..." The man shook his head. "What did you mean when you said I didn't belong here?" _

_Hotaru eyed him thoughtfully. "What, that you were touched by immortal hands? Was my prior explanation not clear enough for you?"_

_Keiichi grumbled something under his breath and sent Hotaru a look. The man frowned. "Or perhaps it was," the soldier said slowly, "not the explanation you needed?"_

_The spirit averted his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest uncomfortably. "Kind of-yes." Keiichi said after a moment. "It's just...when I got here, you said I was human, right?"_

_Hotaru raised a black brow. "As human as I was before someone told me I was dead." He replied. "Give or take the odd tinge of your aura."_

"_My aura?"_

_Hotaru nodded. "Your aura was what made you unique when I came hunting for you. It's...colorful, for lack of a better term." The soldier shrugged nonchalantly. "Sometimes it borders on blue, other times and drifts into red. Like those fancy mood rings those damned _Gaigin_ started selling before the shit hit the fan during the war. When you were angry, it'd shift to red. When you were relieved about something, like that damned demon of yours coming to her senses, it'd switch to blue."_

_Keiichi stared at his grandfather in curiosity. "And I take it this isn't typical?" He asked, then as an afterthought added, "What color is it now?"_

"_Kind of a dark purple." Hotaru replied. "Like it can't decide if it's red or blue. And no, it's not typical-at least not for humans. Humans more often have a clear, unremarkable aura that marks them as human. Occasionally we'll get one who's aura is tinged with a specific color, but it's only the ones who've had actual experience with divine or demonic entities that have a full colored aura like yours." The man tilted his head to one side, examining Keiichi with a critical brown eye. "And of those, none of them were as...shifty as yours." The man crossed his arms over his chest. "What's this all about, Morisato? What'd that damned demon say to make you question your own humanity?"_

"_What about the gods and demons who were sent out to retrieve those people?" Keiichi dodged the question with one of his own, inwardly cringing when Hotaru sent him a worried look. _

"_Solid colored, like the ones they came to retrieve." Hotaru replied. "Though theirs weren't confined to a specific red or blue. All of theirs were different colored-a _single_ different color" He emphasized. "Your demon's was red-orange, like the flames of a fire. That bird who told off the Lady Shikome was a blue so light I almost mistook it for white, and that devil dog that was with him had a blue-black aura like the night sky. The Lady Shikome's aura is a grey-blue like polluted water, and the Lady Izanami herself is gray-black, symbolizing her status as an Underworld God."_

"_But none of their auras change color like mine?" Keiichi pressed, and Hotaru shook his head. The man scowled. _Damn it, _he thought,_ I wish I could see this for myself. _The man ran his fingers through hair. It felt greasy and thick with grime. "What the hell makes me so special?" He muttered in disgust. "I haven't done anything to-it's not making any fucking sense!"_

_Hotaru snorted. "Boy, I don't know what your deal is, but your nothing if not 'special'. You told me yourself your love is a goddess, and of all the things sent to retrieve your soul, it was a damned demon who came for you." The man crossed his arms. "You ask me, your in denial, Morisato. I've yet to come across someone with the contacts _you've _got. No one else has allies among both the divine and the damned population, and if you ask me, that's a pretty special thing."_

_The younger spirit grit his teeth. "But..." Keiichi hesitated for a moment, setting his jaw and continuing. "These relationships...these people in my life-they're changing me. And I'm not sure if its a change I want."_

_His grandfather raised black brows in surprise. "Changing you?" He asked. "Boy, I could have told you that the moment I met you!"_

_The man stared at the soldier in bafflement. "You-what?" Keiichi stared at Hotaru gape mouthed. "What the hell!?" He cried. "Are these changes so obvious that I'm the only one who doesn't realize it?"_

_Hotaru shrugged. "Probably." He said. Looking around, the elder spirit sighed before making himself comfortable on the ground. He scowled. "Listen Boy, change is unpreventable. It happens to everyone, whether they like it or not and it changes them for the better or the worse. It's part of life."_

_Keiichi made a face. "I know that." He almost snapped, catching himself at the last moment. "I know that." The man repeated in a softer voice. "It's just that...these changes..." He hesitated, sending a wary glance to his grandfather. Hotaru waved him on silently. "Grandpa, I don't even know how I'm still human anymore." _

_The warrior raised an eyebrow but offered no words of his own. Taking his silence as encouragement, Keiichi continued. "Mara-the demon-she told me some things. Things I'm not even sure I'm supposed to know and..." The man fiddled with his hands nervously, unable to hold still. _

"_They're trying to make me a demigod." Keiichi finished quietly, voice just above a whisper. "And they're failing somehow and I'm still human and...and I don't know what to do." The man sighed heavily, directing a troubled gaze outwards and ignoring the startled glance Hotaru sent his way._

"_A demigod?" He echoed. "Like the Lady Shikome or...?" The spirit whistled, running a hand through his hair. "That's...I can remember hearing stories of warriors who-but never in real life!" The man muttered under his breath, before releasing a nervous laugh. "That's...that's pretty damned impressive!" He cried. "Is this so you can be with your _Gaigin _goddess?"_

_Keiichi sent the man a dirty look at the name before nodding his head. "I guess." He muttered reluctantly. "Apparently being around a bunch of otherworldly goddesses will do that to a man."_

_Hotaru sent him a hard stare. "So than what's the problem?" He asked. "If someone told me I was going to be a demigod, I'd be ecstatic. Not only are you no longer confined to the Underworlds like me, but you're divine _and_ you still get to stay with your woman. Why are you wandering around like a kicked dog, Morisato?"_

_The mechanic flinched. "It's not that I-" The man stopped himself before starting again. "I just...I wish someone would have informed me of it sooner. Or given me a choice in the matter." Keiichi brooded. "I mean, I'd have liked to decide for myself if I was going to stay human or not. You said yourself that the human spirits with colored auras were taken from the underworlds, right? What if they ended up becoming demigods or demidemons or whatever and found out they didn't like it? We're not talking about a change in citizenship here-it's not like I'm marrying into a rich family or going to live with someone across the sea-we're talking about my humanity here!"_

_Hotaru tilted his head to the side. "Humanity, huh?" He asked. "Then let me ask you this: Since meeting your woman and all these other people, did you ever feel your humanity was in danger?"_

_Dark brows furrowed together in confusion, and Keiichi frowned. "Well...maybe with the Lord of Terror, but...that was more voluntary than anything else." If it meant protecting Belldandy from that thing, than so be it. "But beyond that...I've never really felt like I was in danger like...like that. At least not until what Mara and Thoth told me came to light."_

"_So...you haven't had any urges to go out and murder a hundred people?" Keiichi sent his grandfather a disturbed look before shaking his head. "No desires to trying and build mountains out of molehills?" Another head shake. "To bend reality to your will?" Head shake. "How about trying to catch the sun in the reflection of a mirror?" Keiichi snorted but shook his head once more. _

_Hotaru smiled. "So than what's the problem?" He asked. "You don't sound like a man who's gone mad from divine power or been corrupted by demonic influence."_

"_I don't, huh?" Keiichi sent his the old soldier a dry look. _

_Hotaru shook his head. "Not in the slightest." He said. "You look like a scared and confused kid who's up against something he barely understands." Keiichi sent his grandfather a sideways glance as Hotaru continued. "I was like that once. When Japan was involved in that damned war and I was brand new to the service. A lot of us were-most of us were a bunch of kids who'd joined for various reasons. Money, glory, honor, pride..." The man shook his head. "All that went out the window when we got our first taste of war." The man frowned at the memories, eyes growing dark and distant for a moment as images long since buried resurfaced. "After that first fight whatever excitement or pride or whatever was gone. We saw our own die beside us, just as we'd killed people trying to kill us." The man snorted. "I couldn't sleep for three days the nightmares were so bad."_

_The Ikusa leaned back, propping himself up with his arms with a sigh. "It sucks." He summarized. "But you adapt, you deal with it, and you move on." The man's dark eyes flashed. "You survive and learn from the experience, because it changes you, though not in a wholly good or bad manner._

"_I see." Keiichi mumbled softly. A thoughtful silence descended upon the two relatives. It took Keiichi several minutes before he finally asked, "So how did you deal with it?"_

_Hotaru shrugged. "I did whatever I could to keep my mind off it. Drank with the guys, fooled around with some woman-don't give me that look, Boy-gambled, wrote home, did my job..." The man sighed. "But ignoring it doesn't make it go away. So we'd talk about it too, like how we are now. It helped ease the bite from the experience."_

"_Right." Keiichi frowned in consideration. "I guess...it would be kind of cool being a demigod..." he mumbled reluctantly. "But what Thoth said...he said I was still human. That I shouldn't be with my own track record." The lad sighed. "I should be grateful, and I am...yet now there's a piece of me that's worried. A god just told me I shouldn't be human, yet for whatever reason I still am." He explained. "So what's keeping me human?" The man ran his hand through his dark hair. "Is this something I should be more concerned about than becoming a demi-whatever? Should I even be happy about this?" the man shook his head. "It's all just really confusing right now..."_

_The Ikusa regarded Keiichi with a careful look. "And they don't know what's causing it?" As Keiichi shook his head the man continued. "Then I would say not to let it bother you, Morisato." _

_Keiichi looked up with startled brown eyes. "There is nothing you can do, is there?" Hotaru ventured. "And yet, being human is nothing new for you-you've been a human all your life. Essentially nothing's changed, right?"_

"_Well, yeah I guess..."_

"_So then stop worrying about it." The elder man repeated. "Don't let what these 'supreme overlords' say get to you. In the end, regardless of power they're still people, just as we are. People talk, and in all my years if there isn't one thing I haven't learned it's that people rarely know what they're talking about. Don't overreact. Take their words with a grain of salt and do what you feel is right for your sake-not theirs." With a soft grunt Hotaru easily rose to his feet with all the ease of a cat, making his way to Keiichi. "And one last thing, Morisato..."_

_The man's fist suddenly collided with Keiichi's head, causing the younger man to yelp in pain. "Stop coming to death for answers!" Hotaru roared. "I may be among the ancestors of Yomi now, but that doesn't mean you need to go hunting me down for advice in the Deadlands! A fucking prayer and some incense would have sufficed nicely, nitwit!"_

_Keiichi covered his head with his hands, warding off any further blows as he glared up at his grandfather. "I never asked you, asshole!" He snarled. "It wasn't like I was trying to find you!"_

"_Bull!" Hotaru snapped. "If that's so, then why am I here counseling my own 'divine' grandson? You're more than human now, right? What need do you have of some 'lowly' spirit's advice?"_

_"I wasn't asking!" Keiichi retorted hotly. "You just popped out of nowhere and started blabbering off like the long winded old fart that you are! If I'd known you were going to yap all day long like some tiny rat dog, I'd have blown your head up in my mindscape!"_

_Hotaru laughed. "As if a puny whelp like you could! You couldn't even blow the head off of the weakest of ghouls!"_

_As if hearing those exact words, a ghoul appeared in all its lurching, moaning glory._

_The two men looked at the poor beast with raging eyes. "Shut up!" Keiichi cried._

"_Piss off!" Hotaru growled._

_And under their combined, heated gaze, the ghoul's body exploded, covering the two relatives in rotting chunks of gore._

_For a while no one spoke, too stunned at the large explosion to bother trading insults. It didn't help that both men had forgone the way of common sense and now had a mouth full of chunky ghoul for them both to chew on._

_Keiichi spit a couple ghoulish morsels from his mouth. "...gross..." He spat again, trying to rid his mouth of the rotting taste._

_Hotaru grimaced, shaking an arm covered in no small amount of grime. The man gave a long suffering sigh, wiping his forehead and trying to rid himself of some of the thick slime that coated his face. "I hate ghouls." He grumbled._

_Farther in the distance, Keiichi thought he heard a shout, looking off in the direction the noise came from with a frown. "Did you hear that?"_

_Hotaru spat before joining his grandson's gaze. "Relief party." He said. "Probably wondering where I wandered off to." The man ran a hand through his hair only to find it wouldn't budge halfway down his scalp, the grime had built up so heavily. Grimacing, he yanked the limb free. "Which means its time for us to part ways. Unless you really _do_ want to come to Yomi with me."_

_The younger man frowned and shook his head. "I'll pass." He muttered, looking down at clothes black and wet with gore. "I think I've had all I can stand of the dead. Besides, I've got a goddess and a demon waiting for me."_

_Hotaru grunted. "Then get out of my sight." He rumbled with a scowl. "I don't ever want to see your _Gaigin_-loving ass in the Netherworld again, you hear me?" He said, though Keiichi could see a dark twinkle in his eye that instantly reminded him of his mother Takano._

_The mechanic smirked before turning and heading off in the opposite direction of the approaching voices. A glance over his shoulder showed Hotaru doing the exact opposite, and then the Ikusa was gone._

* * *

_How Keiichi managed to make his way back to his mindscape was a mystery. The man had been more than lost by the time his grandfather had stumbled upon him and with his departure Keiichi was certain he was going to remain lost until either Mara or one of her god friends stumbled across him again. Yet nothing of the sort happened, Keiichi instead surprising himself as a familiar bright form and two other, less familiar bodies, appeared against the horizon. _

You've returned._ Thoth greeted as the short man drew near. The monkey's words drew the attention of his two companions, causing Mara and the black dog to pause from what looked like the starts of an argument. Mara's fur stood on end, and as she turned to look at Keiichi the mechanic saw a fading snarl on her muzzle. The dog-what had Mara called him? The only thing he could remember was 'Buttsniff'-perked his ears towards him before approaching him. _

Don't even think about it, Bansar._ Mara's voice was a growl, as vocal in his mind as it was a physical thing. _

_Buttsniff-or was it Bansar now? Maybe Bansar Buttsniff? Heh, that was a funny name. B.B. ignored the lynx, his attention too heavily focused on Keiichi. _Please don't sniff my butt._ Keiichi silently prayed. _Things are awkward enough as it is. No need to make it more so by having a god smelling my ass.

_The god didn't live up to his name, much to Keiichi's relief. Instead he let out a yip, his white gaze never leaving the spirit. _

Eh?_ Thoth tilted his head to one side, looking between Keiichi and B.B. in curiosity. _Very well. _The god acknowledged, before turning to face Keiichi. _He wants me to translate for you.

_Keiichi tore his gaze from the hound, looking at Thoth in confusion. "Why can't he just tell me himself?" He asked. "I've heard him speak before-why can't he speak now?"_

_Thoth shook his head. _You misunderstand. _The monkey said. _You have heard him speak, yes, but my companion cannot speak directly to you.

_Keiichi frowned. "Why not?"_

Because you are human. _The god replied. _My comrade is not allowed to speak to humans, per our laws. The dead may hear his words, as may demons and other gods, but as the Guide to _Duat_ he is not allowed to speak directly to a living human.

_Mr. Buttsniff yipped once more, causing Thoth to pause before speaking again. _Yet it is precisely for that reason that he has a request of you.

_Keiichi's frown deepened, a look of uncertainty darkening his eyes. "A request?" He asked. "Of what?"_

_Behind Bansar, Mara growled in warning. _I'm warning you mutt. Don't do it.

_Yet B.B. merely panted, looking over his shoulder and baying something at the demon. _

That doesn't count!_ The lynx snarled._

_Bansar turned his back to her once more however, sending Keiichi a soft bark. _He made Lady George a promise. _Thoth translated. _And you are in her debt for her coming to retrieve you. _Another bark, one that caused Thoth to bare his teeth angrily a moment later. _And he claims you are in debt to him for ending the hostilities of the Lady Shikome and her Ikusa.

_Keiichi grimaced at the reminder of the demi-goddess. "Okay..." He said, staring at the beast doubtfully. "...But that still doesn't explain what you want from me."_

_This time Buttsniff sat panting, staring at the man with what Keiichi could only describe as a big doggie grin. _Simple. _Thoth said. _He wants your aid in removing the metal from your comrade's shoulder.

_A silence descended upon the area as Keiichi let the words sink in, staring at the black beast with large brown eyes. "...You want me to what!?" He demanded, and as Bansar broke out into rapid yips and barks, Keiichi continued. "How am I supposed to help you with that?" He cried. "The last time I touched that thing, not only did it cut me, it drained my blood too!" The dark god growled at him, baring his teeth in a snarl. "Yeah, I bet buddy. In case you haven't noticed, that thing is dangerous! How the hell are you even going to get it out of Mara's shoulder? This isn't exactly something I can help do!"_

And I haven't even agreed to this idea!_ Mara snapped._

_The lynx was ignored._

My comrade says he can kill the flow of magic that you find so fearsome. _Thoth replied, though there was a hint of worry in his voice now. _However, do to his own magical nature, he is unable to touch the blade for worry of the negative reaction it may have on him and the lady demon both.

"_So he wants me to remove it for him? With what, my hands!?"_

Yes._ Thoth replied, and Keiichi sent a glare to the black dog. _You have a shirt, correct? _The monkey continued. _Wrap your hands within the cloth if you so fear being cut.

Bansar, I'm telling you, don't do this._ Mara warned once more, crouching low to the ground as she slowly backed away from the dog. _I don't want this-the thing isn't hurting me that bad. Just leave it all alone!

_Bansar paused from where he sat 'conversing' with Keiichi, turning to look in Mara's direction. Something that almost sounded like a upset whine escaped the god's throat, and the dog rose and approached the smaller lynx. Mara yowled anxiously at his approach, and before Keiichi's eyes the lynx burst into fur and flames as though trying to warn the larger beast away._

_The black hound paused, head cocked to the side and one paw raised in the air as he considered the hazards of approaching the burning lynx...and then Bansar continued, unabated by the flames that turned the sand beneath his paws to molten red glass. The liquid glass blackened and bubbled where the dog stepped, hissing angrily as though it was a snake being trod on. Yet the dog ignored it, approaching Mara even as the lynx retreated and in that moment a troubling question arose in Keiichi's mind._

_Why wasn't she attacking him?_

_The man had seen first hand the strengths of the demon hidden within the body of a lynx, and yet before Bansar, the black netherworld dog god, she held back, retreating to keep her fires away from the approaching god rather than rising to drive him off. The man watched in open curiosity as Bansar slowly edged closer to the demon, the flames surrounding her body dwindling rather than accumulating. The dark beast's tail wagged gaily once, and Bansar paused, tilting his head to the side once more in curiosity. This time when he stopped, so too did Mara. One of her ears flicked forward from where it laid pressed tightly against her skull, and the flames lessened further._

Oh, I see. _Keiichi thought. _He must be talking to Mara._ The flames gradually faded before vanishing altogether, leaving Mara trembling before Bansar. The god's tail wagged once more, and panting he drew closer. He licked her muzzle, causing the demon's ears to flick uneasily, then sneezed, causing the lynx to start. A fresh cloud of ash arose around the two. Bansar headbutted Mara and Keiichi could almost see some of the tension easing from her body._

Get ready _Ba._ _Thoth warned, causing Keiichi to jump. So wrapped up in the demon and the Nethergod, Keiichi had forgotten all about the holy scribe. Uncomfortably, Keiichi unzipped his jacket, reminding himself that this was a stupid idea, Mara was probably going to burn the shit out of him, and wondering how these crazy gods had managed to convince him to do this stupid stunt. _

_Bansar made his way around Mara, thick tail whipping gaily as Mara bowed her head, following his movement carefully. The larger beast pressed against the lynx, causing the demon to stumble before the smaller demon sat, panting as the black dog circled her. Keiichi wondered with no small curiosity what the two were conversing over, but whatever it was must have had something of a positive effect on the burning cat. _

_Gradually, Mara began to relax, easing herself down to the ground as Bansar sat at her side. The beast looked down at his smaller companion for a long while before immediately directing his gaze to Keiichi's. Bright white met concerned brown, and Keiichi felt his heart skip a beat as a sudden thought entered his mind. _

Now.

_Almost as if possessed, Keiichi made his way towards the odd duo and as he did, Bansar suddenly struck. With all the silence of the dead, the beast's jaws suddenly snapped down on the nape of Mara's neck and pulled up. Mara screamed with rage even as her body went limp, immediately relaxing into a ragdoll as the dog held the lynx firmly by the scruff. Keiichi swallowed as he approached, catching Mara's gaze and trying hard to ignore the murderous intent within the demon's red eyes. _

_Bansar sat._

_Mara growled._

_His nerves making his hands shake, Keiichi clumsily removed his jacket, wrapping his hands inside the near-shredded material several times before drawing closer to the two animals. Bansar looked at the mechanic expectantly while Mara's ears folded back against her head, pure anger wafting from her body like heat. "So...all I gotta do is pull that thing outta Mara, right?"_

_Bansar released a muffled woof._

_Keiichi licked his lips. "Right. Got it. Just like pulling a thorn from a lion's paw." He told himself. "It can't be that hard. S'not like it's the sword in the stone or something." His hands drew close to the metal, and weak though it was, Mara squirmed and growled in protest. Somewhere in between her realization of what her doggie friend was plotting and now the demon had stopped communicating with him telepathically. Perhaps she'd lost the focus needed to project the messages and curses no doubt running though her mind towards him._

_Swallowing his nerves, the man wrapped his gloved hands around the twisted metal, biting back a yelp as red sparks assaulted his makeshift gloves. They didn't actually hurt the man, per say; not unless being assaulted by too many zaps of static electricity hurt. But they definitely hurt Mara, for the lynx released a noise that sounded so much like a whimper that for a moment Keiichi almost released the metal. Yet Bansar rose to four legs next to him, and a low, threatening growl weaseled its way out of the god's throat._

_Keiichi held his grip._

_Gritting his teeth against the sparks, the man adjusted his grip. The metal seemed to vibrate in his hands, and it wasn't until the spirit's leg accidentally pressed against Mara that Keiichi realized it was from the demon's trembling. The spirit paused, sending an anxious look to Bansar. "Are you sure about this?" He asked. "I mean, while she's conscious and everything? Wouldn't it be easier if you, well, knocked her out or something?" The raven haired mechanic hated asking the question, but actually feeling Mara shivering against him..."I-I feel like I'm trying to preform some operation on her while she's still awake." Keiichi admitted. "This feels...it doesn't feel right. You're an Underworld God, right? Isn't there something you can do for Mara that won't let her feel the pain?" He hesitated a moment, gauging the beast's reaction before adding, "She _is_ your friend after all, right?"_

_Bansar narrowed his eyes, ears folding down against his skull angrily. The dog's lips peeled back in a snarl, and this close Keiichi could see where the hound's teeth-sharp, sharp teeth, like they were fashioned from metal rather than bone-had bit too deeply into the loose skin of the scruff. Small trickles of red painted yellow fangs an ugly, messy shade of pink, and the young man was certain that if Bansar wasn't preoccupied with Mara he would have bitten the spirit with that bear trap of a jaw. _

_The meaning behind the snarl was unfortunately all to easy to understand, and so with a grimace Keiichi wiggled his fingers and once more adjusted his grip on the metal. Another mewling whimper from Marller, followed by a less-than-encouraging growl from Bansar at Keiichi's continued hesitation. Taking a deep breath, the man began to pull at the metal, finding to his horror that the twisted steel refused to move. Mara did, however; her whole body squirming and a scream that sounded all too human piercing the air. The metal sawed into Keiichi's wrapped hands and the mechanic heard something tear into the material. _

_Bansar immediately moved to solve the problem, maintaining his grip on Mara's scruff as he straddled her. The god bore his weight down on the smaller demon, halting a majority of the lynx's struggles and causing the demon to release a strangled cry of pain. _

_For his part, Keiichi tried once more, eyes large and distraught as another pained scream, strangled though it was, tore from the demon at his side. The bolts of red lightning assaulted his hands with a new ferocity and Keiichi felt his grip slide up. _Please let that be the metal._ The spirit prayed silently, trying hard to block out the screams from Mara. This wasn't like the fight with Hotaru or the Ikusa or even the demons in the shrine. _It's Herja all over again. _He thought in distress, recalling the Valkyrie he'd so vainly tried to save..._I'm trying to help but I won't be able to and all I'm going to do is cause her pain and-_there came the sicking sound of ripping flesh, and Mara's screams increased an octave. _

_The cries were horrid, impossible to ignore regardless of Keiichi's attempts. _Need to hurry and remove this._ He thought, taking another deep breath and yanking at the steel once more. _What is this thing!? _A part of him thought frantically. _How deep is it? _The sounds of ripping grew audible still, yet Keiichi was beyond the ability of telling the difference between his jacket and Mara's own flesh. The spirit ignored it; such a thing didn't matter now. The only thing he needed to focus on was getting that damned thing out of Mara's shoulder._

_There came a long and agonizing rip, and suddenly Keiichi found himself falling backwards, something bright and metallic and pulsing with red lightning approaching his body. The man hit the ground with a soft grunt and immediately after came the metallic shard. It landed at his side, the red sparks lashing out none to gently at his exposed flesh. Struggling to free his hands from his jacket-why wasn't he wearing a shirt again?-the spirit rolled to his hands and knees, stumbling as he tried to roll to his feet. Yet his legs failed him, sending the short man to the ground with a grunt as behind him, the foreign magic of the parasitic steel solidified into something more. _

_Like a bright, neon red bundle of worms the magic swarmed across the metal, growing and thickening and heating the surrounding sand into liquid glass before Keiichi. The magical worms lashed out at him, causing Keiichi to jump with a yelp. And then Bansar was at his side, large jaws snapping down on the twisted metal and engulfing the magic in his maw. __The man saw one of the worms trapped in Bansar's teeth spasm before falling limp with something like a shriek, followed by black steam that rose from the hound's muzzle. _

_After that, the world grew eerily silent._

_Mara's shrieks had faded to nothing, the lynx motionless behind Bansar. The dog himself refused to move, his bright gaze focused on something Keiichi couldn't pinpoint as the remaining steam departed his snout. Not even Thoth spoke, a silent observer that stood as a statue farther off. The silence was deafening, and it wasn't until Bansar rose and approached Keiichi that the man even bothered to breath. In the silence of the moment, it had somehow seemed improper to break the unnerving quiet, and now the spirit sucked in a large gulp of air. _

_Bansar's jaws still trickled lightly with smoke, though it had lightened to a barely visible white. Keiichi knelt as the dog drew near, and in that moment the man truly realized just how large the god was. Even kneeling as he was, the black beast was a full three heads taller then him; a large and intimidating black mass of fur the seemed to devour the light that touched him. _His fur doesn't reflect any light._ Keiichi thought dumbly. _Like a black hole; all-consuming.

_Keiichi met Bansar's white gaze with brown eyes filled with trepidation, and the beast released the metal still held within his jaws. The man started as the twisted steel impacted the earth, causing Keiichi to stare at it blankly. Without pause the dog turned away from the spirit and attended to Mara, and as Keiichi looked up he caught sight of the intimidating beast lapping at the demon's shoulder. The now metal-free limb was a dark and unhealthy red, and from where Mara's blood fell to the ground Keiichi could hear the sand hiss and sizzle, much as it had with the metal. The demon didn't even respond to the dog's actions, leaving the mortal to wonder if she'd lost consciousness upon the steel's removal._

_The spirit looked down once more at the hunk of metal, frowning as he examined it. The steel only seemed to grow larger the further it got from the top. From the section beneath what had once been exposed, the metal was covered in drying blood and something not so easily recognizable. Hesitantly, the man picked the piece up, finding the metal cool and dead to the touch, the magic once present now gone or dormant. Keiichi's frown deepened as he brought it closer for examination. _Bone. _He realized, brown eyes darting back to Mara's limp form. He scrapped at the bloodied metal, watching as red peeled off to reveal a pale yellow beneath. _This thing is covered in..in bone.

_Keiichi swallowed, feeling his stomach roll at his latest discovery. The shard had to be at least six inches long; a majority of which was now covered in bone. _I-I just ripped four inches worth of metal from Mara's shoulder. _He thought grimly. _How long has she had this-this _thing_? How could she stand it?

_The man rubbed his fingers over the steel in contemplation. In a time that felt long past he could recall the berserk demon, the crazed fight in the shrine, and the red magic that had caused Mara's insanity. The mechanic dropped it in disgust. "It's because of this damned thing that Belldandy was poisoned." he recalled, rising to his feet and kicking some sand over the offensive object. _

_Paying no more mind to the shard, Keiichi followed Bansar's example and moved to Mara's side, wanting to check out his companion's condition for himself. The demon's chest rose and fell rapidly, but somehow Bansar had managed to stop the bleeding from her shoulder. In its place was what Keiichi could only describe as obsidian, several spires that rose from the wound and curved back in cruel spikes. The man looked at them in curiosity before noting the ground beside Mara. Small areas of dirt and sand had transformed into black, lumpy layers of the same substance._

_Keiichi raised a brow. "Mara bleeds lava?" He could only think to ask, kneeling at the demon's side and running a hand through Mara's thick neck fur. The fur was incredibly warm. A couple of areas he could feel sharp, rocky scabs. Parting the fur showed much the same; scabs from where Bansar had bitten the lynx too hard. _

_The dog ignored him, and instead Thoth approached. _How surprising. _The monkey explained, walking around the small cluster of human, demon, and god and towards the chunk of discarded metal. He examined it yet made no effort to touch it, snorting in displeasure. _A sentient blade. _He revealed. _Or rather, a piece of what was once a sentient blade. _The white baboon bared his teeth at the shard. _I've never seen such a thing before. Sentient blades do not simply 'break' as this one must have. And they certainly do not live off a host within the victim's body. How did such a thing happen, I wonder?

_The monkey looked up, sending his black gaze to Keiichi, who shrugged. Bansar gave a soft bark, causing Thoth to tilt his head to one side in curiosity. _

_"What'd he say?" _

The blade was feeding off her like a parasite. _Thoth explained. _From what my comrade was able to learn, that shard of metal was never originally that long._ The monkey paused for a moment, once more listening to Bansar's words before continuing. _Where it begins to thicken like a molar around the bone-he says both bone and metal grew around each other._ Another pause, and when Thoth spoke next Keiichi could hear the frown in his voice. _Apparently this was not an injury he can remember your demon having upon their first meeting. And that was well over seven hundred years ago.

_Now it was Keiichi's turn to frown, brows furrowing together in curiosity. "But up until a little while ago, Mara had been sealed." Keiichi explained. "Urd mentioned once she'd been sealed for around five hundred years. I don't think she got that after she was released."_

_Here Bansar growled weakly, tongue lolling out of his mouth. Thoth nodded. _Agreed. _The Scribe said. _The shard needed to have been in your friend for many a year to have reached then length it is now.

_Keiichi sent the god a look. "You're saying that thing actually _grew_ in her?" He asked, pointing to the discarded object in horror. "But it's a hunk of metal! An inanimate object! How the hell could that thing grow?"_

_Bansar and Thoth stared at him as though he were a child, or perhaps slow in the head. _Magic is a form of life in and of itself. _Thoth began. _When applied to an inanimate object, that item is suddenly given a source of renewable energy. If enough time passes...if that item is used enough times, it is possible for an artificial intelligence to be created by that magic. The magic condenses into a more complicated form, and from there begins to behave in a manner more advanced than before. From that an AI is possible, in which case it may slowly begin to think independent of the wielder, imitating a living creature.

_The god tilted his head once more to one side. _You are familiar with angels, yes? _He asked. _It is from just such a manner that an angel is given life from the soul of a goddess. They are nothing but a complicated magic given form and AI. Like this metal, they can imitate a living creature to the point of even changing their shape based on the materials they have access to. _The monkey's tail lashed against the ground. _In this case, it appears as though the metal was feeding on the minerals within your companion's bones, allowing it to gather en mass and grow within the bone.

_Keiichi grimaced. "That...sounds awful." He muttered, desperately trying to get the image of something similar happening between Belldandy and Holy Bell out of his mind. The damned monkey did _not_ need to use angels for an example. "So essentially what your saying is that we just ripped a huge hunk of metal out of Mara's shoulder as well as all the surrounding bone that had fused to it, right?" The man felt a little sick at the revelation. No wonder Mara was screaming so much. Given the circumstances, he'd probably scream too. "Then how the hell was I able to pull it out?"_

_Thoth's gaze turned to Bansar, who panted softly. _You _were_ working with an Underworld deity. _He said. _Killing cells and encouraging rot is an easy task for one such as him.

_Keiichi paled immensely at the implications behind the Scribe's words. "Is Mara going to be okay?"_

Your demon is a child of the flames, _Ba. Thoth said furtively. _She shall be fine once she awakens once more.

* * *

_What felt like a full day passed before Mara finally stirred from her sleep. To pass the time, Keiichi spent a majority of it speaking with Thoth, learning more about the Overworld gods and how they sought to change regular humans such as him into demigods. He spoke with Thoth of angels and what made up their essence and the many borders of the Netherworld. The man learned of what god owned which part and what one tolerated versus another. The mechanic learned of the basic fundamentals of magic-a trait that was useless to him but, if what Thoth said was true, could hold potential for him further down the road if he indeed become the demigod everyone expected him to become._

_He also learned the value of magical items._

_It had taking some convincing-no, a great deal of convincing-on the part of both Thoth and Bansar, but in the end Keiichi took ownership of the large piece of steel that had once been Mara's. It protruded from his back pocket like a naked knife, and Keiichi had to be careful whenever he moved lest he run the risk of stabbing himself. _

_It was still a magical item, of that there was no doubt; Bansar could not kill what was not alive already, and so the magic __within rested dormant, awaiting the time it could be called in the future. Such a thing was a danger to the Underworld, where any manner of beast might stumble upon it and be consumed do to their less-than-physical nature. It was for such a reason why Thoth would not touch it and why Bansar refused to touch it again. When his jaws had seized it, live cells still composed the bone and blood around the metal, allowing the Underworld deity to control it if only for a moment. Yet with the cells now dead, it posed the same risk to him as it did Thoth._

_For whatever reason, they were convinced Keiichi would be safe handling it. For all he was a spirit, he was still a magic-less human; something they took a great pleasure in reminding him of. He could be trusted to handle the potential weapon without fear of whiplash, a fact that still baffled the young man. And so when not speaking with Thoth, the man fiddled with the object, lost deep in thought in all he'd learned and what the future could hold._

_Bansar, for his part, remained at Mara's side for the entirety of her sleep. Whenever Keiichi looked towards the hound, the black dog appeared asleep. Yet whenever he or Thoth drew too close the god would immediately snap to attention, baring his teeth in a warning snarl that Keiichi was very careful to heed. _

_Finally, Mara stirred with a very vocal yowl. Bansar was on his feet immediately, licking her muzzle in concern and earning a painful scratch across the nose for his efforts. The hostile act sent him back peddling with a yelp, almost colliding with Keiichi before the man managed to get out of the deity's way. From where she lay on the ground, Mara hissed at them both, ears pressing back against her head in rage as she fought to pick herself up._

_Unfortunately, as soon as she rested her weight on her left foreleg, the demon immediately collapsed with a pained howl. Apparently she was unaware of the new hole in her shoulder. _What the fuck did you sons' a bitches do to me!? _The screams began, and Keiichi visibly winced at the mental assault. Bansar hesitantly approached once more as Mara made a second attempt at picking herself up, ending with similar results and a fresh wave of obscenities._

_Yes, Mara was _very_ unaware of her new injury. _

I swear to Nidhogg I'll consume your first born child! _Mara swore, growling angrily as Bansar once more drew close to her fallen form. _I'll destroy you homes with hellfire and sacrifice you to the Great Wurm itself! _She raved, trembling as she sought to rise a third time. This time the demon succeeded, though only at with the assistance of the black hound, whom she fell against as her left foreleg gave out on her once more. _

_The demon looked up at her taller companion with a growl._

_Bansar's tail wagged._

That guy must be a masochist or something_. Keiichi thought as he approached the duo, the metal shard a cold weight against his back. "You okay Mara?" _

_Mara sent him a dark glare, pushing off Bansar and standing on three legs, the left foreleg curled up against her chest weakly. _What kind of question is that, numbskull? _She demanded, baring her teeth at him in a snarl. _Do I _look _fucking 'okay' to you?

_Keiichi brought his hands up to his chest in surrender, releasing an inner sigh of relief. For someone who'd had four inches of steel wrapped in bone ripped from her body, the demon was certainly filled with energy. Anyone _that _lively was fine in his books. "Just checking, just checking." He said easily, biting back a grin._

_Mara glared at him with a huff. Bansar gave a happy bark behind her, and one ear swiveled back to listen to him. The lynx shook herself lightly, almost toppling over as she sought to maintain her balance before looking at Keiichi expectantly. _Well? _She demanded. _Are we done here or not?

_Thoth's voice was laughing. _I do believe we are, Lady George. _He said, causing Mara's ears to fold against her head in anger once more. _Would you allow us to escort you all back to the _Ba's _mindscape? We want to ensure you have a safe journey to the physical world without anymore...misunderstandings.

_Mara cocked her head to one side in confusion, just as Keiichi turned to look towards the large crevice that marked his mindscape. It wasn't exactly a long journey. Five minutes and they'd be within his mindscape once more and that included them crossing over the actual parted land. _I...suppose..._Mara trailed off, before turning and heading off towards the __mindscape._

_The lynx walked with a heavy limp, yet before Keiichi could say anything Bansar was at her side once more, walking close on her weak side and holding fast and steady whenever it looked as though Mara would topple over. Together the two ventured onwards with out comment, leaving Keiichi and Thoth to bring up the rear. _

_Matching Thoth's deliberately slower pace with his own, Keiichi ventured the question that had been puzzling him since seeing lynx and dog together. "So...Bansar and Mara, eh?"_

It's not my place to say._ Came Thoth's immediate reply. _And I would prefer it left that way too. _He advised. _What you're implying is considered heavily taboo in the higher dimensions.

"_Is that why no one's spoken Bansar's true name?"_

Perhaps._ Thoth drawled. _It's hard to create something from fake names.

"_Which is why you never say Ma-George's real name." Keiichi concluded. _

_Thoth grunted. _It is better this way. _He reasoned. _We can both claim to know of a lynx known commonly as 'George'. If questioned, she can claim of only knowing a jackal called 'Bansar'. _The monkey displayed his teeth in a mockery of a smile. _No god, no demon, would refer to themselves by such ridiculous names_, Ba. _It allows us plausible deniability without actually lying to anyone. _He looked at Keiichi from the side with one large black eye. _Of course, this only works if _everyone_ maintains that plausible deniability.

_Keiichi remained silent before nodding in agreement. "Well, it's not like I _really_ know Bansar by any other name." He reasoned. "As far as I can tell, he's just a really big, black dog."_ _The man shrugged. "For all I know, he could be Cerberus or Garm-well, maybe not Garm. Garm was an ass-but Cerberus, sure. He just left his other two heads at home or something, right?" The man looked to his furred companion for verification, finding the beast panting with laughter. _

You are a good _Ba. The monkey said. _I think humanity suits you-it'd be a shame to see one so gray to be taken by the Overworld Gods._ The two came to a halt behind Mara and Bansar, both of whom eyed the crag warily. _

_Leaning heavily against Bansar for support, Mara looked over her shoulder at Keiichi. _You go first._ She ordered. _It's more important for you to return to the waking world than me at the moment. Your body is still in a coma and there is still the matter of that beast to contend with..._the demon seemed to be thinking aloud more than speaking directly at Keiichi._

_The man frowned at the reminder of the 'beast'. "About that..." he started, leaving Thoth's side for Mara's. "How do I return?" He asked. "...And what do you want me to do if that Daimakaicho-monster is in the cell?"_

_Mara shifted uncomfortably on her feet. _You simply...wake up._ She said. _Don't worry, you'll understand when you cross. As for the _tulpa_..._an audible sigh left the demon's throat. _...A _tulpa_ is a creature that needs a physical body to house it. _She explained. _It feeds off willpower that can easily be supplied by that physical body in order to truly survive, and for those who feed it, it can be controlled. _The demon stared into his eyes with a fierce clarity. _Tame it, Keiichi. _She said. _If it is to come once more to our cell, offer yourself to it and tame it. Right now it is our best chance at defeating it.

_Keiichi shifted his weight from one foot to another anxiously. The metal weight pressed against the small of his back uncomfortably. "Why can't you do it?"_

I've spent all my willpower merely retrieving your spirit, Keiichi. _Mara explained. _And when I return I will be in no condition to try and tame it. The two of us-we've met before, Keiichi, and in that time, there was never any taming of that _tulpa._ This time would be no different-if anything, it'd be more disastrous than last-it's something only you can do.

_Keiichi's frown deepened, and before the man could open his mouth to protest further Mara cut him off once more. _Do if for Skuld, if not me. _She said. _It is Skuld who is in more danger than any of us right now, and if not for Skuld, than for her sister that you love so much. _She stepped towards him, headbutting him hard. _But do it for someone, Keiichi.

_Keiichi fell silent, resting a hand on Mara's head. As with the other times he'd touched her, his hand came away white with ash. "I get it." He said quietly. "I'll do it. For all our sakes, not just Belldandy's."_

_Mara bobbed her head up and down in approval. _Good. _She said. _Then get going. Thanks to..._certain_ people, it will be a while before I can join you and Skuld again. _She glared down at her limp leg in irritation._

"_I could carry you over, you know." Keiichi offered, smiling despite himself when Mara bared her teeth at him threateningly. "Okay, okay. Got it. I'm off." He said. Walking away from the others, the man walked back a couple of feet from the small canyon before turning and bolting into a run. The man soared over the crevice with ease, landing with a grunt inside his mindscape. "I'll see you in the land of the living!" He cried with a wave. "And Bansar, you better make sure your girlfriend gets over here safely!" He called, unable to resist throwing in his final two cents towards the dog. The man sincerely doubted he'd see the hound again. "Especially if you want to see her again!"_

Girlfriend!? _Mara bristled at the comment, eyes wide with shock as she stared at Keiichi from the other side of the crag. Yet Keiichi did nothing but laugh, and a moment later he was gone._

Did he just-that motherfu-he did _not _just say that!_ Mara stuttered over her words in shock, unable to link a coherent sentence together in her surprise. _

_Bansar sat at her side, his tail thumping the earth once and jaw parted with silent laughter. _Is that what we are now? _He asked aloud, causing the already heated lynx to grow only more flustered. _That _Ba _is more perceptive than I thought.

I'm going to kill him. _Mara grumbled. _Belldandy be damned. Daimakaicho be blessed. I don't even care anymore. I'm going to kill him regardless of what they do to me.

_Bansar licked her heated wound, his breath a cool breeze that soothed the burning fire beneath the obsidian. She sighed in relief, pressing into him tiredly. _It's people like him who make me want to stay here. _She muttered scornfully._

_The jackal's tail thumped the earth once more in approval. _Then do it.

_Immediately Mara straightened from where she'd rested against him, staring up at the larger beast with alarmed red eyes. _I'm sorry!? _She near yelled, mouth parting in surprise. _Did you just say-

_Yet Bansar was already nodding his head. _I did. _He cut her off. _

George-_Mara-_I want you to stay here with me.

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_Comments of a Madwoman: So I hit 100 reviews with chapter 34! Thank you all! I never thought I'd have a story that would be popular enough to gain so much attention. This is freaking awesome for me, and again thank you all who reviewed. _

_My little moment of hysteric achievement aside, I bet none of you were expecting this curve ball coming, did you? Hopefully those ridiculous names Mara and her jackal friend refer to each other by were horrid enough for you-I searched all over the web for some of the most horrid pet names I could find, and hopefully they garnished a similar reaction from you all as they did from Keiichi. And Kudo points to anyone who can both reveal Bansar's true name and tell me what a _Ba _is!_


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